HINCHINGBROOKE CUP ROUND ONE

MARCH TOWN         4              ST NEOTS TOWN           1           

St Neots Town’s return to the Hinchingbrooke Cup competition after an absence of twelve years lasted just one match. Opting to make major team changes with six changes from their Saturday victory, St Neots paid the penalty as they were swept aside by a well-organised a determined host side also returning to the competition this season. March dominated the first half as the disjointed looking visiting side struggled to compete, and although St Neots were better after the break two goals in each half sealed a comprehensive victory for the home side. St Neots brought back Nathan George after injury and Jordan Brown after his cup tied absence, gave a first start to Matt Perkins and included Luce Ugarte-Edwards and Elliot Smith for their senior debuts.

A lightning start gave the home side two goals in the first nine minutes of the match to leave the visitors looking shell shocked. In their first attack March scored as Ben Seymour-Shove took full advantage of a defensive deflection to open the scoring and eight minutes later a Stefane Gavozzi cross was converted from close range by the same home player. The one-way traffic continued with Gavozzi dragging his shot wide and then James Goff and former Saint Matthew Foy were booked. With the returning Jordan Brown playing a lone role in attack St Neots best first half effort came after 29 minutes when he beat two defenders before firing across the face of goal from a narrow angle and just prior to half time home keeper Jonah Gill did well to parry a free kick.

After the break St Neots reorganised with Sam Johnson and Demi Romero on for Ugarte-Edwards and Perkins and they began to compete. However, they were hampered when Jordan Brown was sin-binned and during his absence Matthew Foy added a third March goal from a Seymour-Shove cross. St Neots then had their best spell of the match ruined by a breakaway fourth goal for the home side claimed by Declan Rogers – another former Saint. St Neots then were reduced to ten men when Malaki Black was dismissed for a retaliatory foul, but they did snatch a consolation goal twelve minutes from time when Elliot Smith became the fifteenth player to score for them in just their fifteenth competitive match of the season.

St Neots:   Goff, Reynolds, Ugarte-Edwards, Elliott, George, Black, Myembe, Dummett, Jordan Brown, Perkins, Rowley

Subs:  Johnson (for Perkins 46 mins), Romero (for Ugarte-Edwards 46 mins), Camfield, Blankson and Galatis.

Cards:  Black (RED – 76 mins), Goff (Y – 23 mins), Jordan Brown (Y -50 mins)

March Town United:  Gill, Bucciero, Edwards, Brumby, Gillies, Green, Saunders, Rogers, Foy, Seymour-Shove, Cavozzi

Subs:  Williams (for Cavozzi 61 mins), Vaz (for Seymour-Shove 73 mins), Withers and Burrows.

Cards:  Gillies (Y – 6 mins), Foy (Y – 23 mins), Vaz (Y – 75 mins), Bucciero (Y –

90 mins)

Attendance: 188

Referee:  Darren Lander (Huntingdon)

(John Walker)