Northampton ON Chenecks 0
Pinchbeck United 1
Proud player/boss Ian Dunn piled praise on his Pinchbeck United side after they completed a calendar year unbeaten in the Future Lions UCL on Saturday.
A 25th-minute stunner from Lee Beeson, volleyed in from a tight angle, was enough to give the Knights a 1-0 victory at Northampton ON Chenecks and keep them second in the table.
Their fifth win from seven league games so far this season extended Pinchbeck’s unbeaten run to 35 league games – with their last loss a 3-2 home reverse against Olney Town back on September 30, 2017.
It wasn’t all plain sailing for the Knights at Old Northamptonians Sports Ground, with the hosts applying plenty of pressure in the closing stages.
But Dunn, who made a rare start, felt that both he and Nick Bishop should have been awarded penalties, with striker Ollie Maltby sent a great chance to kill the game off over the bar from close range.
In the end it mattered little – with Pinchbeck holding on in trademark fashion to stay within two points of early pace-setters Daventry Town.
Naturally the post-match talk centred on the magnificent landmark, with former Spalding and Holbeach United striker Dunn feeling it will prove to be a career highlight for most involved with the club.
“It’s something to savour,” admitted the Knights chief. “I don’t think that many of us – if any – will ever experience another run like it in football.
“We’re all incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved here. But we do have to be realistic and expect that this run will come to an end sooner, rather than later.
“If it doesn’t, you’d have to expect that we’ll be in the title race! To be honest, these first seven games unbeaten in the UCL Premier Division are equally as impressive as the 20-odd we went unbeaten in Division One.
“I think that it’s all about how we react to the defeat when it comes – and not making too big a deal about it when it does.
“Of course, we’ve lost in cup competitions. But we’re still learning in this league and maintaining the unbeaten league run is going to be very difficult.
“On Saturday, they had us penned in for the final 20 minutes or so. But we just did what we do – we defended and put our bodies on the line. As a team, the lads just love defending.
“Beeson scored a really good goal which was worthy of winning the game, but I think we probably should have had two penalties and Ollie Maltby really should have doubled our lead.
“It was one of those games, we just got the job done again.”
Stacy Cartwright, signed from Holbeach United on Friday, made his debut for Pinchbeck on the day.
Dunn called the versatile defender a “great signing” and was delighted to get the deal over the line.
Knights: Lovelace, Wilson, Peasgood, Field, Cartwright, Bayliss, Shipley, Beeson, Ogden, Dunn, Maltby. Subs used: Bishop, Gaukroger, Josh Smith. Not used: Sergeant, A Smith.
