ST NEOTS PROVE TOO STRONG

Rugby Town lost their unbeaten away league record with a heavy defeat at the Hunts Post Community Stadium on Tuesday against a very skilful and athletic St Neots side.

By Craig Webb Tweet

Photo: Martin Pulley

Rugby striker Tyrone Fagan did put the visitors ahead just before the half hour mark but St Neot's came back strongly

Manager Dave Stringer recalled Nik Preston after injury but lost the services of Richard Wesley just before the match due to work commitments.

With the Cambridgeshire side well backed financially and boasting several ex league players, Rugby knew they would be in for a tough game and so it proved from the first whistle.

The home side made their intent very early on when both Junior Kanudu and striker Shane Tolley going close with efforts within the first 5 minutes.

Rugby though were finding goalscoring opportunities rare but against the run of play went ahead on 28 minutes when Tyrone Fagan scored his third goal of the season when he found space in the area to shoot past Michael Duggan from a Ben Steane freekick.

Unfortunately Rugby's joy was very shortlived when captain Lewis Webb equalised for St Neots within a minute of the restart.

His low header from a Dan Jacob cross just crept inside Louis Connor’s post. Fagan squandered a chance just moments later when he shot wide after he collected a cracking ball from Lee Miveld.

He was left to rue this chance when St Neots went ahead on 35 minutes.

A shot initially hit the post but the rebound fell kindly to Jacob to fire in a powerful shot to leave Connor stranded.

At this point Rugby just could not cope with the crisp passing football of the home side and within two minutes, they went further behind when Lewis Hilliard scored a cracking goal after good work from both Jacob and former Aston Villa player Stefan Moore.

With the seconds ticking down towards half time, new player Robbie Banks forced a double save from Duggan to give Rugby some hope going into the next period.

Unfortunately the optimism did not last long, when Tolley got in on the scoring act in the 49th minute.

His low header from a Kanudu cross making it 4-1 and a long way back for Town, although the busy Connor tipped a goalbound effort from Hilliard over the bar.

Town were finding very hard to get the ball moving in midfield and with twenty minutes left, St Neots managed a fifth, that man Jacobs dispossessing Seb Hamilton midway through the half running toward the edge of the area before unleashing shot which eluded Connor.

With the game now won, St Neots took the foot off the pedal but did enough to stop Rugby mounting any attacks.

Valley Line-up: Connor; Moran, Preston, Gourlay; Banks, Wilson, Steane, Miveld; Fagan, Hamilton, Keen. Subs not used: Gundelach, Isherwood, Da Costa. Booked: Fagan

St Neots Town: Duggan, Sear, Steer, Webb, Gent, Hope, Hilliard, Kanudu, Moore, Tolley, Jacob.