GCE Hire Fleet United Counties League Premier Division South

ST NEOTS TOWN   1   DAVENTRY TOWN          0                                     

On a blustery, bright final Saturday in March, St Neots Town edged themselves to within touching distance of the league title with a solid, if unspectacular, performance against playoff hopefuls Daventry Town at the Premier Plus Stadium, in what was a tense game of few real chances and was settled by one moment of class when Mike Amaeshike headed what was to be the winning goal upon the hour mark. Manager Cameron Mawer had the luxury of naming an unchanged starting eleven once again after Sam Willis recovered from his knock picked up in Tuesday evening’s Senior Cup Final win over St Ives and Danny Baulk returned to the squad after missing the last two games through injury.

Saints got the game underway, kicking into what was a stiff wind and this was going to become a thorn in the home team’s side during the first period as they were to struggle to reproduce the levels they reached on Tuesday evening when they played slick, controlled football on the deck. In fact, whilst looking defensively solid and in control, they never really threatened Patching in the visiting goal with any chances of note during that first forty five minutes. It was Daventry who managed to create the best chances of the first half with Hoeness having an early chance in the third minute and more notably, in the forty-second, minute skipper Rob Parker had to be alert and clear off the line when the visitors almost took the lead from a corner. Daventry picked up two early yellow cards when Price was cautioned in the sixth minute for pulling Harvey Williams back and he was followed into the referee’s note book by Rinaldi in the twelfth minute following a late challenge on Connor Furlong.

The second half began with no changes made by either side and the visitors continued to rack up the bookings in the opening exchanges with skipper Jack Ashton and Rhys Hoeness joining their compatriots in the black book, the latter for alleged assimilation on the box when it looked like he had been caught and a penalty kick would be the resultant outcome. The all-important goal was to arrive on the hour and what a goal it was too. A Sam Willis free kick wide out on the left flank was delivered to the near post and was met by the inrushing Michael Amaeshike (left) who managed to get infront of his marker and head home past the flailing arms of Patching. Kieran Barnes was to go close to extending the lead on two occasions, firstly in the sixty-forth minute when he frustratingly fired over the bar when well placed and five minutes later when he forced the save of the day from Patching when he unleashed a sweet strike from the edge of the area and the visiting custodian got a strong hand to the ball and somehow divert the ball over the crossbar for a corner.

A raft of changes for the visitors was to follow with two forward players entering the frey and this signalled their attacking intent as they looked to get back into the game and salvage their faltering play off hopes and after a continued bombardment of the home box from Lewis Burgess’s ridiculously long throw ins, Murphy Culkin had to be smart at the far post to make an amazing clearance from off the line when it looked like the equalising goal was about to nestle in the net.

So, this hard fought victory leave Cameron Mawer’s men needing just two points from their remaining four games to make sure of the league title and a return to Step Four football.

 

 

Today’s Saints Supporters’ Man of the Match, in association with The Greystones Public House, Sawtry – Michael Amaeshike

 

 

 

 

 

 

St Neots Town:  Goff, Willis, Culkin, Tavernier, Parker, Bowen, Furlong, Amaeshike, Thorpe, Barnes, Williams

Subs:  George, Butler, Fox and Baulk (All Unused)

Cards:  Thorpe (Y), Furlong (Y)

Goals: Amaeshike (60)

Daventry Town:  Patching, Print, Burgess, Ashton ©, Wood, May, Sneddon, Price, Furey, Rinaldi, Hoeness

Subs: Emery for Rinaldi (72), Wilson for Furey,(73), Westwood for Print (90+1)

Attendance: 449

Cards: Ashton (Y), Price (Y), Rinaldi (Y) and Hoeness (Y)

Goals: None

Referee:  George Sewell

 

(Mike Green)