ST NEOTS TOWN          5          BUGBROOKE SM        1         

St Neots came alive in the last half hour of this match to equal their best home league victory since returning to the UCL. They knocked in four goals in the final 27 minutes of this match to cement their position just outside the play-off places but with two, three, or four games in hand over the clubs above them. This was a much-needed victory and return to form after losing four and drawing two of their last seven league and cup matches.

With three regular players unavailable due to either suspension or unavailability they were glad to welcome back skipper Robbie Parker for Lil Francisco (suspended) in an otherwise unchanged line-up from the midweek draw away at ON Chenecks.   Manager Cameron Mawer had the luxury of involving all five of his nominated substitutes late in the game to afford some valuable match time to all his available players.

The first half was at times fairly pedestrian with the visiting side happy to defend in depth whilst offering little threat in attack. In fact, the only time home keeper James Goff was seriously tested was a lengthy effort by substitute Shad Reza ten minutes before the break. However, despite having much the greater share of possession, St Neots really only seriously tested visiting keeper Micky Ibberson a couple of times, with Kieran Barnes having a close range shot deflected and Connor Furlong heading wide in their better attacks. Furlong again squandered a promising opening after good work by Murphy Culkin but after a spell of sustained pressure, St Neots went ahead after 32 minutes when Kieran Barnes (above L) converted a Murphy Culkin corner to register his ninth goal of the season. Just before half time Nickels again linked with the attack to find Michael Amaeshike but his finish was too high and then the visiting keeper did well to save a James Hatch header from a Christian Tavernier cross just prior to the half time whistle.

The second half saw an early effort by Harvey Williams blocked on the goal line and then Tavernier sent Barnes clear, but he dragged his shot wide. On the break Isaac Redding tested the home keeper but the breakthrough came after 64 minutes when Connor Furlong (right) picked up a James Hatch head on from a long goalkeeper clearance to finish well. At 2-0 St Neots seemed to grow in confidence and Barnes unselfishly set up the excellent Michael Amaeshike (left) for the third St Neots goal four minutes later.

Amaeshike then added his second goal of the match after 82 minutes and the match ended in a flurry of action as Bugbrooke broke away for substitute Derek Okoye to snatch a late consolation goal on the stroke of ninety minutes. There was still time for St Neots to have the last word as substitute Danny Baulk (right)  claimed St Neots’ fifth goal two minutes into added time and this performance and result will have restored some confidence to the home side who had not won at home since 24th August.

 

 

 

Today’s Saints Supportyers’ Man of the Match, In Association with The Greystones Public House, Sawtry – Mike Amaeshike

 

 

 

 

St Neots Town:  Goff, Nickels, Culkin, Tavernier, George, Parker, Furlong, Amaeshike, Hatch, Barnes, Williams

Subs:  Baulk (for Williams 71 mins), Willis (for Tavernier 74 mins), Pitts-Wallace (for Hatch 80 mins), Bomolo (for Furlong 83 mins), Joseph (for Barnes (85 mins).

Cards:  George (Y – 61 mins)

 

Bugbrooke SM: Ibberson, Spencer, Simmons, Brooks, Dimond, Walton, Slaymaker, Powell, Redding, Ingman, Knights

Subs: Bazely (for Knights 46 mins), Okoye (for Redding 68 mins), Reza, Webster, and Nash.

Cards: Simmons (Y – 90+3 mins), Dimond (Y – 27 mins), Knights (Y – 36 mins)

Attendance: 285

Referee:  Erno Vajda (Bourne, Lincs)

John Walker