United Counties League - Premier Division

Saturday, 27 October 2007

Stewarts & Lloyds Corby  1    Yaxley  2

The Cuckoos looked more like their old selves and returned to winning ways with Jimmy Dean, Ricky Hailstone, Mark Paul and Matthew Parrott returning en-masse to duty, although dynamo Ian Edge remains absent with the injury picked up at Newmarket on 6th October.

S&L started the day in 4th place but finished up in 8th as The Cuckoos produced the best team performance since mid-September when they demolished Holbeach 3-0 away. It was a refreshing change where everyone stepped up to do their bit. John Feetham was the first half man-of-the-match, producing a string of reactive finger-tip saves to keep the scores even whilst Dan Fountain gave Yaxley the lead twelve minutes before the break with a powerful and well placed header from a Mark Paul cross.

For long periods of the first half, The Cuckoos had their backs to the wall as the slope and the wind assisted the home team, but excellent breaks down both flanks from Elio Salerno and Dan Fountain had the home team under pressure on several occasions.

On resumption S&L claimed a 49th minute goal from Bobby Drain resulting from confusion in the Cuckoos defence, but playing down the slope, Yaxley quickly piled on the pressure and dominated the half. Both teams hit the woodwork but it was Mark Paul who claimed the decisive goal after 69 minutes  after a superb passing move that started way back in their half.