Stotfold stay up as they go nap

Stotfold round-up

Stotfold preserved their UCL Premier Division status on Tuesday night by thumping Cogenhoe 5-1.

A point would have been enough but instead it was a convincing victory against the team fourth in the table.

A bright start saw Stotfold take the lead in the 12th minute when Joel Mason on the right set up Louis Lee for a great strike from the edge of the box. This was almost kept out by the strong hand of keeper Darren Watts but the power meant it could only be pushed on to the underside of the bar and over the line.

A good solo effort from Mason on the left seven minutes later made it two. After a good touch took him past the keeper, he managed to squeeze his shot in from a tight angle.

Mason turned provider again for the third, setting up Gordon Guile to score on 26 minutes.

This was quickly followed by Mason's second after a free-kick on the left from Callum Donnelly was put into the box and Tawhid Juneja missed his strike in the middle. Mason ran in at the far post to blast the ball into the roof of the net.

Stotfold's fifth goal did not come until the 78th minute. Sub Wayne Mullooly's first shot was blocked before he made no mistake with the second attempt.

Another superb save from the visiting keeper denied Guile before Cogenhoe pulled one back through Fazell Kuriya from the penalty spot after a handball on the edge of the box on 83 minutes.

Rokermen: Young, Taylor, D Drury, Hull, Juneja, Gregory, Donnelly, L Lee (Mullooly), Mason (Hall), Guile, Philbin (Case).

Stotfold went down by the odd goal in five to league runners-up Boston Town on Saturday.

Steve Young made a good stop with his feet at the start of the match from Laszio Lovas.

Then a curling shot from Gordon Guile on the right was deflected wide and Joel Mason was squeezed down between two defenders for a half-hearted penalty shout.

The first goal came two minutes before the end of the half when a run from the left and pass into the box was met by Dave Scotney who stabbed the ball over the line from close range.

Nine minutes into the second half saw the visitors go two ahead. The Stotfold defence stepped up and Paul Goodhand ran forward from the left and drove a ball in at the far post.

A foul on Ricky Case five yards out of the area gave Dave Drury the chance to pull one back which he did at the second attempt after his first free-kick was deflected back to his feet.

But Boston's two-goal cushion was restored five minutes later when a overhit defensive header back to Young bounced off the upright and was bundled over the line by Gary Bull.

Despite substitute Wayne Mullooly pulling another goal back on 83 minutes, the equaliser did not come.

Rokermen: Young, Nichol (M Lee), D Drury, L Lee (Mullooly), Juneja, Taylor, Donnelly (Hall), Guile, Mason, Philbin, Case.