Derby Day Defeat For Disappointing Saints As Rampant Rovers Run Riot

GCE Hire Plant Ltd United Counties League Premier Division South

St Neots Town         2          Eynesbury Rovers        5

 

This eagerly awaited Boxing Day derby, witnessed by an enormous crowd of one thousand one hundred and four, went the way of the visiting team with a display of clinical finishing to send the travelling contingent home joyous with the local bragging rights intact at least until the two sides meet again on Easter Monday at Hall Road. Manager Cameron Mawer made two enforced changes from the side that had won at Newport Pagnell last Saturday with skipper Robbie Parker coming in for the unwell Charlie Bowen and recent signing James Peters replacing the unavailable Mike Amaeshike.

The match couldn’t have begun in a better fashion for the home side as The Saints started strongly and took the lead in the ninth minute when a pinpoint cross from Connor Furlong on the right wing was headed home by RHYS THORPE  to send the home support into early delerium, unaware of what was to follow. The lead was to last just four minutes as Victor Osobu was to sweep home a cross from the left to level things up much to the delight of the travelling Rovers support positioned on the terraces behind Goff’s goal. Those expecting a swift response from the Saints, as they had done previously against Aylestone Park here at the Premier Plus Stadium when conceding, were to be left disappointed as it was Rovers who were to extend their lead after a long, low clearance from Hoskin was to split the home centre half pairing leaving Osobu the task of rounding Goff to plant the ball into an empty net. Saints’ best chance of restoring parity came after thirty nine minutes when a flowing move down the right involving Willis and Furlong saw the ball fed to Kieran Barnes but his sffort was saved by the visiting keeper. Worse was to follow as recent signing Luke Young was to escape the shackles of the Saints defensive line to further increase the Rovers goal count in the forty second minute. Just before the break, Connor Furlong injured himself whilst attempting to cross the ball, an injury which was to prevent him from reappearing for the second half.

The second half begun with the enforced change, Danny Baulk replacing the unfortunate Furlong and it was Rovers who started on the front foot and somehow Victor Osobu contrived to head over the bar in front of an unguarded net just two minutes into the second period. After having an effort smothered by Goff in the fifty-fifth minute when clean through, Osobu was to go on and complete a deserved hat-trick after seventy-three minutes after twisting and turning out on the left to fire past the helpless Goff to make he score 4-1. Saints were given a lifeline after seventy-six minutes when KIERAN BARNES fired home from distance with the help of a wicked deflection however this was to be just a consolation as the visitors would score again in added time when substitute Nathan Mullings found the net from an impossible angle to make the final scoreline 5-2 and send the visitors home joyful and triumphant.

St Neots Town:  Goff, Willis, Culkin, Tavernier, Parker (c), Sage, Furlong, Peters, Thorpe, Barnes, Williams

Subs:  Baulk (for Furlong 46 mins), George, Ajana, Sutherland and Nickels.

Cards:  Culkin (y), Furlong (y), Tavernier (y), Baulk (y)

Goals: Thorpe (9mins), Barnes (76 mins)

Eynesbury Rovers:  Hoskin, King R, Hurst, Fulianty, Brookes, Hammer, Dobson, King M(c), Young, Osobu, Batchilly

Subs:  Coxall (for Young 52 mins), Chijota (for Dobson 68 mins), Shaw (for King R 77 mins)  Mullings (for Batchilly 81 mins), Ciach (for Coxall 90+2 mins)

Cards: Mullings (y)

Goals: Osobu (13, 34, 73 mins), Young (42 mins), Mullings (90+1 mins)

Attendance: 1,104

Referee:  Jack Badcock

 (Mike Green)