HUNTS FA SENIOR CHALLENGE CUP 1/4 FINAL

 

YAXLEY   3     ST NEOTS TOWN    3     (St Neots won 6-5 on penalties)

With three minutes of added time completed Yaxley were leading 3-1 and heading for the Senior Cup semi-finals but then an unbelievable comeback in a crazy three minutes’ spell saw St Neots regenerate and grab two late late goals to earn a dramatic penalty shoot-out. There was still time for goalkeeper James Goff to earn hero status as he produced a full-length stunning save to deny Yaxley substitute Denys Dushkin’s penalty before James Hatch despatched the winning kick. So, St Neots returned home with a repeat of their 2018 semi-final victory on penalties at Yaxley. It was a much-depleted St Neots line-up that recorded the victory with both central defenders Charlie Bowen and Nathan George missing along with Michael Amaeshike and the suspended Connor Furlong, but this saw Lamin Jammeh and Robbie Sutherland make their first starts for the side with Dammy Nickels returning after an absence of seven matches and a place on the substitutes bench for Shane Fox, returning to his first club on dual registration from Potton United.

It had all started well for the visitors for after 13 minutes when the home defence dithered as they attempted to clear, and the lively Kieran Barnes (left) nipped in to take advantage and give the visitors the lead. The home side responded with a period of ball possession but with little to show in terms of attacking threat and St Neots could have increased their advantage but for some good defending by home keeper Jamie Stephens who twice left his area to clear danger. Former St Neots defender Lil Francisco was lucky to escape punishment after a bone crunching challenge on Lamin Jammeh and then four minutes before the break in a relatively rare attack the home side levelled as Christian Tavernier conceded a penalty and Matthew Harris-Hercules converted.

St Neots resumed with James Hatch replacing Robbie Sutherland and when a defensive error let in Connor Pilbeam, James Goff saved well, before Pilbeam headed wide when well placed. In a St Neots counter-attack Sam Willis saw a net-bound shot deflected for a corner and then with substitutes Danny Baulk and Shane Fox on for Jammeh and Barnes, St Neots set about clawing their way back into the match.  Robbie Parker shot wide from distance, but Yaxley then produced a powerful final twenty minutes. After 72 minutes former Saint, Julinho Gomes, beat his marker to shoot diagonally across the goal and in off the far post to put Yaxley ahead and two minutes from the end of normal time the same player picked up a Matteo Perkins cross to give the home side a two goals advantage. That really should have decided the outcome, but St Neots had other ideas. Four minutes into added time a 25 yards effort by James Hatch (above) left the home keeper helpless to reduce the arrears and at the clock ticked down into the final minute of added time visiting skipper Robbie Parker (right) netted with a crisp finish to send the match into a sudden death shoot-out. The first six penalties were netted before Matteo Perkins sent his effort over the bar. Danny Baulk could have won the match but saw his shot rebound from a post before goalkeeper Goff produced the save to allow Hatch to win it for the visitors.

 

 

Tonight’s Saints Supporters’ Man of the Match, in association with The Greystones Public House, Sawtry – Robbie Parker

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

St Neots Town:  Goff, Sutherland, Nickels, Tavernier, Parker, Culkin, Jammeh, Willis, Thorpe, Barnes, Williams

Subs:  Hatch (for Sutherland 46 mins), Baulk (for Jammeh 56 mins), Fox (for Barnes 61 mins), Joseph and Jessop.

Cards:  Parker (Y – 59 mins), Willis (Y – 63 mins).

 

Yaxley:  Stephens, Francisco, Henderson, Chilvers, Robertson, Rhaman, Bilicz, Gomes, Harris-Hercules, Perkins, Pilbeam

Subs:  Opayinka (for Pilbeam 59 mins), Dushkin (for Rhaman 67 mins), Grigas (for Harris-Hercules 74 mins), Venters (for Bilicz 87 mins), Kazombiaze (for Perkins 87 mins).

Cards:  none

Attendance: 73

Referee:  Jack Badcock

John Walker