St Neots Town U18 vs Huntingdon Town U18

Thurlow Nunn Youth West Division

ST NEOTS TOWN U18      3      HUNTINGDON TOWN      2      

St Neots played well and picked up the three points from this match to retain their second spot in the Thurlow Nunn West Division but they made hard work of their task.   Playing against a visiting Huntingdon side that showed little attacking ability St Neots should have scored enough goals to have put the match beyond the reach of their visitors before half time.   However a combination of indifferent finishing and determined defending restricted them to a single goal half time advantage prior to a more open second half.   The catalyst for the outcome was a two minute spell starting in the 75th minute when three goals were scored and the complexion of the match altered.   Huntingdon’s late effort could have earned them an unexpected share of the points but St Neots held on and could have added to their tally just before the final whistle.

St Neots began confidently and visiting keeper Seamus Gaynor had to be alert in the second minute to save a snap shot by Blake Rivers and then Simon Williams and Rukky Diejomaoh both sent shots off target.   Huntingdon’s first positive attacking move after 20 minutes was foiled when St Neots keeper Dan Hough left his line swiftly to rob the advancing Leshon Douglas who had lost control of the ball but most of the play was one-way towards the Huntingdon end.    Rivers shot wide and saw another effort blocked and then in a Huntingdon breakaway Huff dived bravely at the feet of Derry Stowers as he prepared to shoot.   Gaynor then produced the save of the match just past the half hour to dent the lively Jordan Brown but he was not to be denied for long for four minutes later he was unmarked at the far post to head home a cross from the right that had eluded the defence.   St Neots then suffered a setback when Jordan Saywell had to be helped from the field with an ankle injury.

The second half began with another St Neots goal after just four minutes play when Rukky Diejomaoh took on several defenders weaving his way through the penalty area to net from close range.   A minute later Brown had the ball in the net again but the effort was ruled out for an infringement spotted by the Assistant Referee.  St Neots should now have been in control but two more substitutions seemed to upset their rhythm and the game moved into a phase which saw most of the plat in midfield.  Substitute Luke Day should have done better than fire over the bar after good work by David Hartley and Rukky and Huntingdon responded with a half volley from Karl Kendall that flew just a foot wide.   The real action started after 77 minutes when Huff looked slow to get down to an angled shot from substitute Kieran Price that put Huntingdon back in the game at 2-1.   30 seconds later Jordan Brown broke through at the other wend to take his personal goal tally to four in two matches and restore St Neots’ two goal advantage but a minute later another Huntingdon substitute Jack Haycock netted again to make it 3-2.   St Neots looked shocked but held firm and both Luke Day and Dan Mattin brought excellent saves from Gaynor in the final three minutes.

St Neots: Huff, Hartley, Saywell, Mattin, Stringer, Williams, Rivers, Hartley (D), Brown, Harper-Scott, Diejomaoh

Subs used:  White, Day and Clark..

Cards:  Huff (Y – 51)

Goals (St Neots):  Brown 2 (36 mins & 78 mins), Diejomaoh (49 mins)

John Walker