Saints suffer as City slickers end unbeaten run
Goals in each half from Jordan Murphy and Colby Bishop, with a late penalty, saw City chalk up their third win on the spin with a 2-0 success to take all three points at St James Park.
City controlled the early stages but Saints came into the contest in the second period only to come up short in the final third.
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Hide AdCity started brightly, Murphy and Bishop combined well for Ebby Nelson-Addy who saw his shot tipped over by Laurie Walker before firing wide from distance moments later.
City broke the deadlock in the 14th minute when a searching pass from Chekaine Steele picked out Murphy who cut inside before beating Walker.
Saints rarely threatened and City looked the more likely to add to the score line. Murphy when close to doubling City’s advantage when he latched on to a flick-on but his effort was deflected into the side-netting.
Top scorer James Armson created some openings for Saints but was unable to seriously test Ryan Boot while substitute David Pitt sent fired over just before the break.
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Hide AdAfter the restart, Boot kept out Steve Diggin’s shot from the edge of the box before the on-loan Port Vale keeper saved from Ellis Myles’ angled rive and then tipped Pitt’s chip over the bar.
Saints enjoyed more possession in the second half but City’s central defensive pairing of Graham Hutchison and Tom Sharpe looked solid. But it took a timely block from Sharpe to keep out David Moyo’s effort.
Just as it looked Saints might get back into the game and nick a point, City put the contest beyond doubt in the 83rd minute when Bishop was upended in the box. And he picked himself up to beat Walker from the ensuing spot-kick.