Saturday 9th March 2024
UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE – PREMIER DIVISION SOUTH
COGENHOE UNITED v YAXLEY
Compton Park,
Cogenhoe.
NN7 1ND
KO 3-PM
The Cooks are back at home again tomorrow with a quick return fixture against Yaxley. The two sides drew 2-2 in the Fens recently in a very entertaining game that could easily have gone either way on the day, so a similar spectacle tomorrow would be most welcome. The Cooks took an early lead that day when Dom Wysocki slipped in Earl Atat and he coolly finished in the style formally practised by Dylan Wilson, a great way to secure your first goal for the club. The home quickly turned the game on its head though Oleksandr Muzychuk smashed home an equaliser from close range, then a couple of minutes later a great finish from the edge of the box from Rio Henson put the home side in the lead. The Cooks levelled themselves after the break when Josh Rayfield whipped in a great cross from the right and Jack Connor’s downward header gave Quincy Shorunmu no chance at all.
The Cuckoos have only played once since that game, and they comfortably sent Desborough Town packing 4-0 at Leading Drove. The goals were shared out between Julinho Gomes, Matt Hercules and substitute pair Jezz Goldson-Williams and new signing Connor Pilbeam. The later is well known around the UCL and has been a proven goalscorer over the last few years. I believe the last time he played against would have been for Peterborough Northern Star, but they have signed him from Sleaford Town, but he has been playing in the Thurlow Nunn Eastern Counties League Division One North for our old friends Holbeach United for much of the season, where he had amassed 16 goals in 22 appearances. Yaxley now sit two places below the play-offs, but the nine point gap with just nine games remaining will probably be too big a challenge for them now, but they will have their eye on overtaking a Newport Pagnell Town team who have really struggled for form in recent weeks.
The last time we met here was back in their Championship season of 2017/18 and the honours were shared on a Tuesday night in September. Liam Hook looked like he had given the Cuckoos all three points with his 65th minute opener, but Luis Vieira popped up to earn Tom Chapman’s Cooks a point three minutes from time.
Scott Carlin will be without the Cobblers pair tomorrow, but Dalton Leon is fit again leaving him only missing Ben Dimond, who sits out the final game of his suspension, plus those ruled out with long term injuries. The boys put on a good show last Tuesday night, especially in the second half, despite the end result against promotion chasing Aylestone Park. Sonny Knights scored the Cooks goal, but they were caught out with a couple of late goals, both from heavy deflections, as they pushed forward looking to take something from the game.
Don’t forget that now we are in March, the kick-off has reverted to 3pm tomorrow.
John Meadows will be hoping for less deflections tomorrow.
Sonny Knights will be hoping for more celebrations like this after netting his third of the season on Tuesday night,
Striker Connor Pilbeam, Yaxley manager Simon Roberts’ latest signing. (Photo from Linc On Line).
