Manchester United trailist scores on debut for St Neots as Town are beaten

The visitors welcomed back suspended Matt Partridge into their line-up and he played in the centre of defence, which meant Charlie Kennedy was able to move back into midfield.

Striker Aaron Redford dropped to the subs bench, where there was also a return for Ashleigh Artwell from injury.

Town opened the game at the Premier Plus Stadium the better and nearly took the lead early on when Nana Owusu’s cross hit the post.

The visitors then took the lead after six minutes, as Aaron Jarvis laid the ball into the path of Sam Deadfield, who fired past Alex Archer in the home goal.

The Dragons continued to have the better of the exchanges, even if the Saints’ Luke Brown fired just wide.

They were then stunned when the home side scored an equaliser after 29 minutes.

Former Manchester United trialist Shane Hill, on his debut for St Neots, found the back of the net with an excellent 20-yard free-kick which beat Alex Tokarczyk.

Town goalscorer Deadfield then fired over, before the visitors went 2-1 down five minutes before the break.

This was after Bradley Fortnam Tomlinson, a striker on loan from Tonbridge Angels, was able to beat Tokarczyk at the near post.

At the break, Town were forced into a change as Kennedy was replaced by Artwell, but they still had the better of the second half.

Partridge saw a shot pushed wide just before the hour mark and then Jarvis headed over a cross from Artwell.

Chances continued to come for the visitors as Jarvis volleyed over the bar before he was replaced by Redford.

Owusu then fired just wide as Town were unable to find an equaliser and the victory moved the Saints out of the bottom four.

The result for Town leaves them 16th in the table, ahead of Tuesday night’s trip to another side in the bottom four Hayes and Yeading.

They won at home to Redditch United 2-1 on Saturday, so it is not going to be easy for the Dragons, who lost there earlier in the season in the League Cup.