ST NEOTS TOWN    3     EYNESBURY ROVERS    0          

St Neots Town celebrated winning their slot in the end-of-season play-offs with a comprehensive demolition of neighbours Eynesbury Rovers to leave their visitors still under relegation threat. All three goals came in a golden twelve minute spell just past the hour to dispel the memory of the month of March where they had scored just three goals in four home league fixtures. To their credit, Eynesbury competed well in the first hour looking quite dangerous on the break whilst St Neots had their followers on the edge of their seats as they failed to convert their superior possession into goals. Once again Saints Manager Cameron Mawer rang the changes to utilise the full extent of his squad making no fewer than five team changes to accommodate the return to the side of Dammy Nickels, Nathan George, Michael Amaeshike, Dean Dummett and Connor Furlong in addition to utilising four of his five named substitutes. In the relegation dogfight, Eynesbury mathematically still need six points from their three final matches to ensure Premier Division survival.

In front of a huge shirt sleeved crowd of 779 the home side began convincingly dominating possession and taking the game to their visitors. Eynesbury looked happy to defend in numbers and attack on the break as Connor Furlong fired over the bar and Jordan Brown was denied when visiting keeper Lewis Reece dived at his feet to smother.  At the other end the speedy Fraelias Mienambolo chipped wide of the far post after going clear and Marcel Rzeszutec shot wide. As half time approached St Neots tightened their grip on the game as Michael Amaeshike had an effort blocked by Daniel Hammer and from a Brown cross Charlie Bowen headed over the bar. Twelve minutes before half time Dean Dummett then set up Brown but the visiting keeper saved well, and the same pair were involved in a similar opening with Brown’s effort deflected for a corner.

The visitors will have been pleased still to be on level terms at the start of the second half, but they were quickly on the defensive again as St Neots resumed their attacking ways with the impressive Michael Amaeshike shooting narrowly wide and Connor Furlong testing the visiting keeper. After 56 minutes St Neots introduced striker Nabil Shariff (left) and within five minutes, he had registered his first St Neots goal neatly rounding the final Eynesbury defender to shoot across the keeper to break the deadlock.

That seemed to settle the home side and six minutes later the score was doubled when Jordan Brown set up Connor Furlong (right) also for his first goal in a St Neots shirt. The visiting defence was now looking ragged despite making several changes and after 72 minutes home defender Charlie Bowen (below left) put the outcome beyond doubt when at the far post, he converted a Dammy Nickels free kick to give the home side an unassailable lead.

There was still time for several substitutes from both sides to be given a slice of the action and with the visitors determined to look for some reward the final twenty minutes saw much end-to-end action with neither goalkeeper being seriously tested. Jordan Brown headed wide after good play by Israel Ajana and Magloire Muyembe, and one-time Eynesbury striker Rhys Thorpe made a brief appearance against his former side before being sin-binned after just two minutes on the pitch!

Eventually St Neots were able to celebrate with their fans as they look forward to their end of season play-off opportunity of a return to Step Four football.

 

 

 

 

Rank	Teams	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	For	Against	Goal difference	Points	Current form
1	Wellingborough Town	38	29	5	4	92	32	60	92	WWWWW
2	Racing Club Warwick	38	24	8	6	90	44	46	80	DLWWD
3	Aylestone Park	38	25	5	8	103	60	43	80	LWWLW
4	St Neots Town FC	38	22	9	7	74	35	39	75	LLWWW
5	March Town United	38	22	9	7	69	40	29	75	WWDWD
6	Newport Pagnell Town	37	19	5	13	70	53	17	59	WWDLD
7	Yaxley FC	37	16	8	13	76	60	16	56	LLDDW
8	GNG Oadby Town	38	16	7	15	74	89	-15	55	DWLLW

 

 

 

 

Today’s Saints Supporters’ Man Of The Match, Kindly Sponsored by The Greystones Public House, Sawtry, was awarded to MICHAEL AMAESHIKE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

St Neots Town:   Goff, Nickels, Culkin, Tavernier, George, Bowen, Brown, Amaeshike,  Dummett, Hatch, Furlong

Subs: Shariff (for Dummett 56 mins), Ajana (for Furlong 72 mins), Muyembe (for Tavernier 74 mins), Thorpe (for Brown 85 mins), and Parker.

Cards:  Bowen (Y – 61 mins), Thorpe (s/b 86 mins)

Eynesbury Rovers:  Reece, Hickling, Dixon, Hall, Hammer, Kimpton, Rzeszutec, O’Hara, Mienambolo, Rogers, Roberts

Subs:   Lee (for Hammer 61 mins), Surace (for Rzeszutec 68 mins), Khoo (for Roberts 72 mins), Baffour (for Rogers 84 mins), Said (for O’Hara 90+3 mins)

Cards:   Rogers (Y – 71 mins)

Attendance: 779

Referee:  Darren Lander (Bedford)

 (John Walker)