Pitching In Northern Premier League Midland Division
ST NEOTS TOWN 1 WELLINGBOROUGH TOWN 0
St Neots made it three unbeaten matches in ten days with their first home league victory in their new league surroundings.The last league meetings of these two sides two seasons ago had seen their Northamptonshire visitors complete a double on their way to the- league title and promotion to Step Four so this was revenge for the Saints – and well-deserved revenge. Three times St Neots were denied goals by the visitors’ woodwork, but they persevered and a single goal from Harvey Williams – his second in consecutive matches – was enough for his side to take full points and lift the Saints into the top half of the league table after a testing start to the season. With Kieran Barnes not fully fit after Saturday’s visit to Coleshill, Jessi Obeng was handed his first senior start against his former club, and defender Charlie Bowen returned to the side after injury with skipper Rob Parker moving into midfield and Andrian Ankrah starting on the substitutes bench.
St Neots got off to a stunning start with Harvey Williams seeing a snapshot in the first minute turned away for a corner. Four minutes later the same St Neots player set up Connor Furlong whose headed effort was deflected for another corner and then debut boy Jessi Obeng sent a well-timed volley into the grateful arms of the visiting goalkeeper. Then after ten minutes from a Sam Wills corner, a Rhys Thorpe effort rebounded from a post with the visiting keeper beaten. The visitors had they first significant sight of goal after ten minutes when former Saints striker Tremaine Charles shot into the side netting from a narrow angle and after these opening exchanges the match settled with St Neots dominating the attacking play. In a quick Wellingborough counter-attack Taylor Franklin shot wide after outpacing the home defence and then seven minutes before the break Charlie Bowen headed narrowly wide from a Sam Willis corner. The lively Furlong seemed to have the better of his marker and he twice set up Thorpe who shot wide – first with his left foot and then with his head. In the final minute of the first half Obeng produced a turn of speed to get past his marker to set up Furlong who became the second St Neots player to see his effort rebound from the woodwork.
Wellingborough began the second half well with home keeper James Goff happy to push away a fierce drive from Jordan Crawford and then Charles found a rush of speed but shot high over the home crossbar. After 52 minutes St Neots produced what was to prove the winning goal when a shot from Obeng was not cleared and Harvey Williams picked up the loose ball to fire home from ten yards. In their next attack the visiting side had Charles again using his pace to create an opening but his finish was well over the bar. The Wellingborough rally continued with Franklin shooting across the face of goal after neat approach play by Jordan O’Brien and then Murphy Culkin had a shot pushed away at full stretch by the visiting goalkeeper. St Neots sent on Andrian Ankrah for the limping Obeng and just past the hour Furlong saw yet a third St Neots’ effort rebound from the woodwork. As expected, the visitors staged a late rally in search of an equaliser and in a break against the run of play Thorpe outpaced his marker to bring a save from the visiting keeper. There was late concern for St Neots when Harvey Williams was helped off with a knee injury and after no less than eleven minutes added time St Neots held out to take all three points.
Today’s Saints Supporters’ Man of the Match – In Association with The Greystones Public House, Sawtry – HARVEY HENDERSON