ST NEOTS TOWN 0 POTTON UNITED 0
(St Neots won 4-3 on penalties)
In a very undistinguished Hinchingbrooke Cup local derby St Neots squeezed past Potton to the semi-finals with a penalty shoot-out. Neither side were at their best and although both goalkeepers made important saves there was little to commend this midweek tie, with a trip to March Town awaiting the winners. There was little rhythm to a match in which there were too many hopeful forward passes leaving the defences of both team’s time and space to mop up any potential threats. Both had good spells of possession but lacked penetration and Potton had to play the last fifteen minutes with ten men after former Saint Jordan Brown picked up a straight red card for verbal abuse. Both sides paraded former players from their opposition camps but St Neots without the unavailable Charlie Bowen and Kieran Barnes brought in Christian Tavernier and Dammy Nickels.
In a very undistinguished Hinchingbrooke Cup local derby St Neots squeezed past Potton to the semi-finals with a penalty shoot-out. Neither side were at their best and although both goalkeepers made important saves there was little to commend this midweek tie, with a trip to March Town awaiting the winners. There was little rhythm to a match in which there were too many hopeful forward passes leaving the defences of both team’s time and space to mop up any potential threats. Both had good spells of possession but lacked penetration and Potton had to play the last fifteen minutes with ten men after former Saint Jordan Brown picked up a straight red card for verbal abuse. Both sides paraded former players from their opposition camps but St Neots without the unavailable Charlie Bowen and Kieran Barnes brought in Christian Tavernier and Dammy Nickels.In the first twenty minutes there was little of note although a poor clearance by visiting keeper James Hoskins handed Sam Willis an opening, but he shot wide, and at the other end Cole Butler squandered the visitors’ best chance shooting well wide. Playing in an unaccustomed forward role Willis ran at the visiting defence but saw his shot blocked and then midway through the first half Jordan Brown was driven wide but still produced a shot that rebounded from a goalpost. Hoskins did well to get behind a low shot from Michael Amaeshike, but then former Saint Charlie Clark found his way into the referee’s notebook for a clumsy challenge on Rhys Thorpe. Just before the break Willis shot wide for St Neots and at the other end another Jordan Brown effort was blocked.
There were early second half substitutions by both sides in a bid to break the deadlock and one of St Neots replacement players Harvey Williams tested the visiting keeper with a snap-shot that was pushed over the bar. The same player inserting pace into the home attack saw a second effort saved but midway through the half home keeper James Goff had to save at full length from Butler who had worked his way in from the flank. The lively Emmanual Gbejuade was looking like the visiting player most likely to break the deadlock, but he was twice off target and then fifteen minutes from time Jordan Brown picked up that straight red card to leave the visitors a man short. St Neots tried to capitalise but both Willis and Williams were off target with their finish and Hoskins saved well from St Neots substitute James Hatch. Amaeshike had a late effort well saved and so the game was decided from the penalty spot. Willis, Murphy Culkin, Williams and Robbie Parker all scored for the home side but James Goff saved efforts by Gbejuade and Butler so St Neots eased through to a second Hinchingbrooke Cup visit to March in successive seasons.
There were early second half substitutions by both sides in a bid to break the deadlock and one of St Neots replacement players Harvey Williams tested the visiting keeper with a snap-shot that was pushed over the bar. The same player inserting pace into the home attack saw a second effort saved but midway through the half home keeper James Goff had to save at full length from Butler who had worked his way in from the flank. The lively Emmanual Gbejuade was looking like the visiting player most likely to break the deadlock, but he was twice off target and then fifteen minutes from time Jordan Brown picked up that straight red card to leave the visitors a man short. St Neots tried to capitalise but both Willis and Williams were off target with their finish and Hoskins saved well from St Neots substitute James Hatch. Amaeshike had a late effort well saved and so the game was decided from the penalty spot. Willis, Murphy Culkin, Williams and Robbie Parker all scored for the home side but James Goff saved efforts by Gbejuade and Butler so St Neots eased through to a second Hinchingbrooke Cup visit to March in successive seasons.
Tonight’s Saints Supporters’ Man of the Match, in association with The Greystones Public House, Sawtry – ROBBIE PARKER
St Neots Town: Goff, Nickels, Culkin, Tavernier, Parker, Sage, Furlong, Amaeshike, Thorpe, Willis, Baulk
Subs: Hatch (for Nickels 55 mins), Williams (for Baulk 60 mins), Ajana, Sutherland and Mawer.
Cards: Amaeshike (Y – 90+1 min)
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