EMIRATES FA CUP- FIRST ROUND QUALIFYING

ST NEOTS TOWN        2               BARKING        2     

Each side led the other in an entertaining match, but St Neots were left counting the cost of a midweek replay in Essex after squandering a host of second half chances. Fortune also played a part with three second half efforts from the home side rebounding from the woodwork and visiting goalkeeper Max Spence left the town after a memorable display behind his overworked defence. Barking were a determined and resolute opposition but having been outplayed in a one-way second half, they will regard a second chance as a bonus. With Dan Walker cup-tied and Nathan George and Lil Francisco rested, into the side came Harvey Williams, Dammy Nickels and skipper Robert Parker.

St Neots thought they should have been awarded a second minute penalty when Kieran Barnes tumbled in the penalty area in their first attack, but the Referee waved play on. However, in their first foray into the St Neots half after nine minutes the visitors took a surprise lead as lone striker Juwon Akintunde chased a long ball into the penalty area and somehow managed to squeeze the ball past defender and goalkeeper from a narrow angle. St Neots responded with Barnes testing the visiting keeper Max Spence after 15 minutes with a close range shot but just sixty seconds later James Reynolds cut in past two defenders but sent his effort high over the bar.  The equaliser came after 24 minutes when the Referee played a good advantage when Michael Amaeshike was brought down. Allowing play to continue, the lively Connor Furlong set Sam Willis (Above Left) through the visiting defence to level the scores with a crisp finish. From a Dammy Nickells corner after 36 minutes, Rhys Thorpe won the ball at the near post only to see his header rebound from the woodwork and then Harvey Williams went clear but shot across the face of goal. On the stroke of half time Thorpe headed narrowly wide from a Williams cross.

With Lil Francisco on for Nickels, St Neots took the lead in the second minute after the break when the lively Furlong set up Kieran Barnes (Below Left) for St Neots’ second goal with the visiting keeper looking unsighted. From that point on, St Neots looked likely winners with Spence in constant action denying Barnes and Thorpe. A second St Neots substitute Danny Baulk should have added to the score after a defensive error, but he skied his effort over the bar after 65 minutes. Then, in a rare breakaway attack completely against the run of play, the visitors levelled the scores as Juwon Akintunde wide on the bye line sent his narrow-angled shot off the body of the unfortunate Parker into the net to level the scores. In response the lively Barnes saw two efforts blocked on the goal line and in the next ten minutes both Amaeshike and Barnes saw efforts denied by the woodwork. Three minutes from time a thunderous free kick by Barnes saw the visiting keeper beaten but the ball rattled the underside of the crossbar and was scrambled clear. So, it is now off to Essex for a midweek replay.

 

Today’s Saints Supporters’ Man of the Match – In Association with the Greystones Public House, Sawtry – SAM WILLIS

 

 

 

 

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

Subs:  Francisco (for Nickels 52 mins), Baulk (for Furlong 55 mins), George, Hatch and Joseph

Cards:  Nickels (Y – 34 mins)

 

Barking: Spence, Smith, Bacon,Edwards, Cosson, Stacey, Reynolds, Greenslade, Akintunde, McDonald, Badenosi

Subs:  McDonald (for Reynolds 52 mins), Adejokun (for Greenslade 79 mins), Mignot, Thomson, Jackson, Shobowale, and Monks.

Cards:  Bacon (Y – 42 mins), Adejokun (Y – 81 mins), Edwards (Y – 90+6 mins)

Attendance: 338

Referee:  Andrew Hitchcox (Peterborough)

John Walker