Young Saints’ Strong Start To Season Continues With Compehensive Home Win

ST NEOTS TOWN U18   6   WISBECH ST MARY U18   0        

Three goals in the final nine minutes gave league leaders St Neots a victory by a margin that seemed unlikely for much of the second half. Visitors Wisbech St Mary finished runners up to the young Saints last season but had lost their first match and in the first half looked as though they might struggle this time around. However, their second half rally pinned St Neots back, until a sending off for a visiting players handed the initiative back to the home side.

The home side dominated the first half and scored three times without any threatening reply. Will Jolley fired just wide in the first minute as St Neots began well and then Caleb Wright had a shot pushed for a corner at full stretch by under-pressure visiting keeper Jack Brocklehurst. The first goal came on ten minutes when Asher Banton rode two defensive tackles to beat the keeper and ten minutes later Will Jolly finished off a move down the right side with a crisp finish. Set up by Banton, Brandon Jessup shot wide, but the one-way traffic continued and when Caleb Wright was upended by a defender, he got to his feet to score the third goal from the penalty spot.

In driving rain after the break, the pattern of the match changed. With several substitutions the visiting side looked sharper and more determined, and St Neots were forced back on to the defensive. Substitute Ellis Goodchild headed wide after neat work by Callum Taylor and then Taylor went clear but could only find the side netting. However, he was then sent off after picking up a second yellow card and this handed the initiative back to St Neots.   After a shot had rebounded from the woodwork home substitute Rocco Smith scored St Neots fourth goal after 81 minutes and the same St Neots player added a further goal as the match moved towards the final whistle.   There was still time for another St Neots substitute, Nigel Coleman to round off the score with their sixth goal.

St Neots:  Bent, Olive, Harrison, Baker, Hughes, Miller, Jessup, Webster, Jolly, Banton, Wright.

Subs:  Camfield, Smith, Collins, Coleman.

Referee:  Simon Ward