PNS were knocked off the top of the league on Saturday after going down 2-0 to in-form Kempston Rovers who had won 9 out of their last 10 games coming into the game.

PNS had played just 2 league games so far this year, whilst the hosts had managed to get in 6 fixtures since the start of February and the difference in the conditioning of the 2 teams was evident throughout.

It could have been a different story however if PNS had taken their best chance of the game after just 3 minutes, when Karl Gibbs intercepted a poor back pass, but with just the keeper to beat shot weakly straight at Kempston custodian Ross Patterson from 12 yards.

The game then settled into a pattern it was to maintain throughout with PNS enjoying the majority of possession and territory, but with Kempston carrying the greater goal threat.

Ashley Farmer had Kempston’s first serious attempt on goal when firing narrowly over on 16 minutes and Ian Edge did the same for PNS 8 minutes later from a Mark Baines cross.

In the first period Jonathan Woolf was having some success dropping off and finding space between the PNS defence and midfield for Kempston with Baines doing likewise for PNS in an entertaining end-to-end game.

However it was the more direct approach that was to prove to be the undoing of PNS through the pace and power of Farmer and strike partner Aaron Baldwin. On 28 minutes Farmer robbed the out-of-sorts Nathan Horne out wide and broke into the PNS box, went around Paul Hill and fired shot past Richard Roberts from a tight angle.

The pattern of play did not alter noticeably in the 2nd period, though Gibbs had another chance 4 minutes after the restart but could not guide his header on target from an Edge cross.

Farmer missed an even clearer chance to extend the home sides advantage with 20 minutes to play but also headed wide from Baldwin’s cross.

With PNS pushing forward for an equalizer it was inevitable that they would leave gaps at the back and so it proved on 83 minutes when Baldwin found himself clear on the right hand side and he scored at the 2nd attempt after Roberts had saved well from his initial effort.
PNS finally managed to get the ball past Patterson on 86 minutes, but Chris Plummer’s looping header was cleared under his cross bar by home defender Mark Bunker.

This was PNS’s 3rd defeat of the season, but the first in which they could have no complaints over the outcome. For all of their good possession they did not force the home keeper into a save of note all game and looked vulnerable at the back. There was too big a gap between the various components but the lack of games contributed largely towards this.

Credit also needs to be given to Kempston who played very well and on current form look the most likely side to fill the 3rd spot. They have a chance to make another impression when travelling to Irchester next week. A win there would be good for the title chances of PNS but also keep Kempston in the mix for automatic promotion and PNS looking over their shoulder.