St Neots Town U18 vs Ramsey Town U18

Thurlow Nunn Youth League West Division

ST NEOTS TOWN U18      5       RAMSEY TOWN U18     1         

It was a case of deja-vu at the Cozy Stadium because six weeks before this League meeting the two sides met in the Hunts Youth Cup and the outcome was an identical score line.   The three points reinstated St Neots in the second spot in the league table above Peterborough Northern Star on goal difference as they pursue leaders Langford and with both of those sides due to visit the Cozy Stadium on the next two consecutive Thursday’s the season is building up to an exciting climax.   The real difference in the two meetings with Ramsey was that on this occasion the visitors scored first but St Neots never looked fazed by this setback and they could have won by a greater margin but for an inspired performance by visiting keeper Jake Galloway who was clearly the man of the match for Ramsey.

There was a scrappy start to the match but after 13 minutes Ramsey shocked their hosts as Sam Pettit broke quickly to feed Kyle Ferrier and his low show seemed to be fumbled by surprised St Neots keeper Kieran Gibbons and the ball finished up in the net.   St Neots responded with Karl Safee firing over the bar and Connor Belgrave seeing a net bound shot blocked and St Neots were only behind for five minutes before Jamie Massey floated a free kick to the far post where Ryan Sharman headed back across goal and inside the opposite post.   St Neots then settled down but were wasteful with their superior possession with both Jake Leonce and Belgrave sending shots wide when they might have done better.   However in the final six minutes of the first half St Neots produced the sort of form that they are capable and it produced two goals which gave them the upper hand.   After 39 minutes leading scorer Karl Safee surprising quiet to that point produced a trademark low shot that beat Galloway for pace to put St Neots ahead and three minutes later a delightful reverse through pass by the impressive David Hartley set up Sean Barker who made it 3-1 just after his previous effort had been just the wrong side of a post.   On the stroke of half time another rasping shot by Safee rebounded from a post.

The fourth St Neots goal four minutes after the restart was the best of the bunch.   A long cross to the far post by Harry Jenkins was skilfully knocked into the path of Jake Leonce by Ryan Sharman and the resultant first time volley left Galloway helpless.   From that point on very little play took place in the St Neots half and St Neots should really have bagged more goals.   In a breakaway Luke Jenkins squandered a rare Ramsey chance firing wildly over the bar whilst Galloway proceeded to produce several excellent saves – the most notable to deny Safee.   Substitute Diejomadh saw a header rebound from the cross bar but after 72 minutes following a swift team move down the centre of the pitch involving four St Neots players skipper Ryan Sharman bundled the ball in from close range.   That completed the scoring but Galloway denied Sharman a hat trick with a great save late in the match.

St Neots: Gibbons, Sembie-Ferris,Mattin, Massey, Jenkins, Hartley, Barker, Belgrove, Safee, Sharman,Leonce.

Subs used:  Felix, Diejomadh (Rukky), Sambu and Banthorpe.

Cards:  none

John Walker