Saints miss chance to stun high-flying Colts
Not for the first time this season, missed chances cost Saints dear last Saturday as they slipped to defeat against second-placed Dosthill.
Manager Luke Fogarty admitted he was “disappointed with the result, but not with the performance”.
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Hide AdHe added: “We were the better team for long periods, but couldn’t score when we were on top. Dosthill are a big team that play a direct game, but we should have made our chances count and come away with a result.”
After a bright opening, Saints found themselves a goal down. A needlessly conceded corner was only half-cleared and Steven Ruck rifled in a shot from the edge of the box.
They might have drawn level in the 14th minute when Richard Robinson was clear on goal, but the referee blew for a foul rather than play advantage.
From the free-kick, the ball fell to Robinson again, but he wasted the opportunity, pulling his shot wide.
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Hide AdRoss Jackson then had a great chance, but struck his shot over the bar and another went begging when Quentin Townsend met a Jack Taylor corner, only to put his header wide.
Captain John Blunsom, who had been struggling with an injury, did not reappear for the second half, being replaced at left-back by Marc Passey.
Within seven minutes of the restart, Saints had another chance on goal when a move involving James Hardie and Robinson set up Tunde Ajibade, but he also failed to hit the target.
Jack Taylor’s cross-shot in the 59th was cleared for a corner and Saints were to rue the missed chances as they fell two behind in the 67th minutes from another half-cleared corner, Sam Wilson the scorer this time.
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Hide AdDosthill then hit the bar before getting their third from a free-kick that was headed on to Rob Seal, who scored unchallenged.
Substitute Andy Millan headed just wide for Saints from a Robinson cross in the 83rd minute and, with time running out, Ajibade glanced in a header from Taylor’s corner to pull a goal back.
However, it was only a consolation as Dosthill closed the gap on leaders Heather St John’s to six points.
Saints take on Heather at Banbury Road tomorrow (3pm) with Fogarty looking to gain revenge for a 2-0 defeat earlier in the season.
“Heather are a side that like to play football and give you a chance to do the same,” he said.
They follow up with a trip to Castle Vale JKS on Tuesday night