GCE Hire Fleet United Counties League Premier Division South

ST NEOTS TOWN           7           GNG OADBY TOWN           1

In front of a huge enthusiastic crowd of 518 St Neots displayed their champion quality to crush visiting Oadby by seven goals to one prior to receiving the champions trophy and their commemorative medals from league chairman Alan Poulain. Six of the home side featured on the scoresheet in St Neots’ second biggest home win of the season and the victory took their tally of league goals beyond 100 for the season for the first time since 2011/12.   Already relegated Oadby put up a brave display but five St Neots goals in a 29 minutes first half spell blew away their chances of salvaging anything from the match. With central defender Charlie Bowen not 100% fit Nathan George retained his place in defence with skipper Robbie Parker returning whilst Danny Baulk and Cole Butler gave way to the returning Connor Furlong and Kieran Barnes. 

The first ten minutes saw St Neots set out their intentions as Rhys Thorpe had the ball in the net but was flagged offside and was then too high with his finish after neat play by Christian Tavernier. Kieran Barnes then brought a flying save from visiting keeper Adam Binks at the expense of a corner but after 13 minutes the floodgates were opened when Michael Amaeshike ghosted in to net a Sam Willis cross to score the first goal. After Binks had saved full length from Harvey Williams it was 2-0 after 19 minutes when defender Nathan George netted from a Barnes corner and then Harvey Williams cleverly left two defenders in his wake to claim goal number three six minutes later.   Oadby seemed unable to stem the attacking pace of the home side and after 37 minutes leading scorer Rhys Thorpe joined the party as he claimed St Neots fourth goal.   St Neots were still not finished and three minutes before the break it was 5-0 when Thorpe unselfishly set up Kieran Barnes to make it a five goals first half for the hosts.

To their credit the visitors were unawed by the task facing then in the second half and four minutes after the restart Camen Bhandel pulled a goal back following a St Neots momentary lapse in defensive concentration, but normality was quickly restored just sixty seconds later when Michael Amaeshike headed home a Sam Willis cross to restore his sides’ five goals advantage  and they were still not finished because on the hour the lively Connor Furlong added his name to the scoresheet in a goalmouth scramble. By now St Neots were giving most of their substitutes some game time and the match seemed to lose much of its intensity. Under pressure visiting keeper Adam Binks then took centre stage saving from Furlong and Thorpe but St Neots were now looking like an exhibition side playing some attractive passing football that lacked a significant finish.   But it was job done as they extended their lead at the top of the table to thirteen points prior to the joyous celebrations to mark their first league title for thirteen years.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

Subs:  Baulk (for Tavernier 49 mins), Bowen (for Williams 49 mins), Butler (for Barnes 59 mins), Fox (for Thorpe 67 mins), Jessop (for Furlong 70 mins).

Cards:  George Y

Goals:  Amaeshike 2 (13 & 52 mins), George (19 mins), Williams (25 mins), Thorpe (37 mins), Barnes (42 mins), Furlong (60 mins).

GNG Oadby Town: Binks, Gill, Hussain (U), Richmond, Hoyland, Tasanga, Hussain (R), Bhandal, Nassor, Lohia, Spencer

Subs: Taylor (for Tasanga 46 mins), Soucy (for Gill 85 mins), and Patel.

Cards: Hussain (U) (Y – 26 mins)

Goals: Bhandal (51 mins)

Attendance: 518

Referee:  Darren Lander

 

(John Walker)