NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE MIDLAND DIVISION

Coleshill Town      4          St Neots Town         0        

St Neots Town suffered their heaviest away defeat for three seasons just 48 hours after their creditable FA Cup victory at higher graded Bishops Stortford. It was very much the case of a hangover for a side facing fresh opponents who had enjoyed a weekend off following their earlier FA Cup exit. St Neots were hampered by the unavailability of two players – defender Toib Adeyemi and midfielder Andre Hassanally and an early recurrent injury to midfielder skipper Callum Anderson. The loss of their central defender was particularly significant, and it led to a first half where the home side were almost totally dominant with the visitors restricted to breakaway attacks.   Particularly noticeable was St Neots usual passing precision because it seemed that when they were in possession, they gave the ball away too easily. The balance of the side – so important in the FA Cup match – was missing, and they will be looking for massive improvement this weekend when they return to Coleshill for their opening match in this season’s FA Trophy. The four team changes including Adeyemi and Hasanally saw two other players Joe Tarpey and Saleem Akanbi both rested on the substitutes bench after picking up knocks at Stortford.

Coleshill began very brightly with Jamie Greygoose required to produce an outstanding save after five minutes to deny the lively Kai Tonge.  At the other end Trey Charles had a shot deflected but the home pressure continued as Tonge outran the defence to cross for Kyle Jardine to squander a great opening as he fired wildly over the bar. Coleshill then had two dangerous crosses – the second from a corner – pushed away by the hardworking Greygoose, but the sustained attacking bore fruit after 18 minutes when Alex Tomkinson rounded his marker to pull the ball back to Amarvir Sandhu who netted past the unsighted goalkeeper to open the scoring via a deflection. Two minutes later St Neots lost their inspirational skipper to injury with Joe Tarpey substituting. Two breakaway efforts by Trey Charles were the best St Neots could offer before the break – a volley well saved and a set up for Robbie Mason whose effort was pushed for a corner. Then Declan Nche was robbed in midfield and Kyle Jardine took full advantage to net Coleshill’s second goal for their comfortable half time lead.

With their defence looking fragile St Neots had swapped full back Aaron Smith and central defender Charlie Stallard but the latter was injured shortly after the break with Saleem Akanbi substituting and the defence switching to a back three. The quality of St Neots’ passing let them down too often, but they survived the early part of the second half with their other substitute utilised. Then, after 78 minutes a sharp finish by Kai Tonge added the home sides’ third goal with St Neots resistance still struggling.  Any chance of salvaging anything from the game had disappeared, and the icing on the cake for the home side came three minutes into added time when substitute George Washbourne was left unmarked to slide in their fourth goal from close range.

 

Tonight’s Man of the Match, Chosen by the travelling Saints Supporters, was awarded to TREY CHARLES

St Neots Town: Greygoose, Lewis, Smith, Anderson, Beckett, Stallard, Osei, Hoddle, Mason, Nche, Charles.

Subs:  Tarpey (for Anderson 20 mins), Akanbi (for Stallard 75 mins), and Sackey-Mensah (for Smith 77 mins).

Cards: Smith (Y – 61 mins), Mason (Y – 72 mins)

Goals: none

 

 

Coleshill Town: Hathaway, Sandhu, Carter-Byrne, Rowe, Dainty, Doyle, Tonge, Wills, Jardine, Molesworth, Tomkinson.

Subs: Marselia (for Jardine 67 mins), Washbourne (for Tomkinson 82 mins), Philips (for Tonge 82 mins), Higginson and Forbes.

Cards: Willis (Y – 90 mins)

Goals: Sandhu (18 mins), Jardine (30 mins), Tonge (78 mins), Washbourne (90+4 mins)

Referee: Thomas Johnson (Bromsgrove)

Attendance: 128

 

John Walker