Easter Monday 1st April 2024
UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE – PREMIER DIVISION SOUTH
COGENHOE UNITED v NEWPORT PAGNELL TOWN
Compton Park,
Brafield Rd,
Cogenhoe.
NN7 1ND
KO 3pm
The Cooks play their final home game of the 2023/24 season on Easter Monday afternoon as Newport Pagnell Town come to the village. The Swans sit in sixth place, one below the play-off places, but with March just needing one point and St Neots three, even if they win their final three games, they are unlikely to extend their season now. Even without the three-point deduction they incurred earlier in the season, it would be a big ask for them now. Recent form has been quite good though and they have played all four of the teams that will contests the play-offs, only losing one of them, whilst they have lost just once in their last six matches. On Saturday they travelled to then second placed Racing Club Warwick and were a minute away from winning there as Dan Walker’s goal just before the break saw them hold a 1-0 advantage, but Kory Burke popped up with an equaliser in the 89th minute. Last Tuesday they hosted St Neots Town who were fourth and beat them 1-0 on an awful night at Willen Road. The first half had been fairly even, but the Swans got their necks in front in first half stoppage time when centre-back Adam Miles headed home at the near post from a corner and somehow that proved to be enough to win the game. I say ‘somehow’ as The Saints missed numerous chances to have got at least a point from this game with Jordan Brown denied by the inside of the post, while Rhys Thorpe and James Hatch were both guilty of not taking gilt edge chances as the game progressed. They were also denied by one amazing goal line clearance as the clean sheet somehow remained intact despite some poor decisions from their keeper. Late drama saw Kieran Barnes red-carded along with St Neots right back Robbie Parker. Pretty clear cut on the Saints player for retaliation but couldn’t help but think Barnes only went as the referee decided it was easier to level things up.
We travelled to Willen Road on Boxing Day this season in a good run of form and it looked like it was about to continue after a fine finish from Bailey Weatherly and a superb breakaway goal created by Matty Ireland and converted by Jack Connor had put us 2-0 to the good, but Ben Ford pulled one back on 70 minutes which resulted in the final few minutes resembling the Alamo as Newport sent cross after cross into our penalty area and eventually we broke with substitute Nathan Olukanmi levelling on 90 minutes and Ford grabbing the winner deep into stoppage time.
Last season’s meeting here at Compton Park was one to forget for the Cooks as the Swans went into a three-goal lead in the game before Ethan Lack netted a consolation for the Cooks. Dom Lawless gave the visitors the lead five minutes before the break and Jake Watkinson added a second on 56. An unfortunate own goal by Perry Ronayne, from fully 30-yards out, made it 0-3 after 76 minutes with Lack pulling one back three minutes later.
This game will mark the end of a short era at Compton Park as it will be outgoing chairman Nigel Wagstaff’s final home game at the club and with no news of his replacement, it could also prove to be the last for this current management team and squad as other club’s plan for next season. With the Cooks currently in a poor run of form that continued on Saturday with a 3-2 defeat at relegation battlers Eynesbury (Jamari Hart and Paddy Cichosz on target) we are seven games without a win and having lost our last three, it would be good if we can end the season on a high starting with a win against my local team. Scott Carlin has named a squad of sixteen for the game with Cobblers Academy pair Josh Rayfield and Matty Ireland both available which is a real boost as these two youngsters have been a real breath of fresh air when they have featured for the club.
After this game we have just two away games to go starting next Saturday with a trip to second placed Aylestone Park before rounding things off at Histon seven days later.
