PRE SEASON FRIENDLY

St Neots Town 3   Walthamstow 1

St Neots Town rounded off their Pre Season Schedule with a convincing 3-1 victory over Step 4 new boys Walthamstow in what turned out to be a full bloodied affair with both sides wanting to register a victory on the last Saturday in July and as it happens, our last Pre Season game. Manager Peter Gill shuffled his pack due to availability and managing fitness of his players and this saw Aaron Smith form a good understanding with Charlie Lewis in the centre of defence and Joe Tarpey filling in at left back and even named himself on the bench as our substitute goalkeeper. This game also saw the return to Saint’s colours of goalkeeper Jamie Greygoose who put in an assured display on his second debut for the Club.

There were no goals scored in the first 45 minutes however the effort put in by St Neots Town really did merit a goal or two and it was to be Dan Barton who was again the main threat, tormenting the visitors defence with a series of pacy raids down the flank and delivering a number of dangerous deliveries into the box for our forwards to feed on but a combination of wayward finishing and good goalkeeping prevented us from hitting the back of the net. There was a moment of controversy after 19 minutes as the Saints broke forward with Dan Barton bursting forward, albeit from an offside position, which the linesman flagged but he wasn’t seen by the referee so he lowered his flag and Barton continued his arrow like run and was unceremoniously up ended in the box and the Referee pointed to the spot. With Robbie Mason waiting, holding the ball ready to take the penalty,  the visiting defence continued to fight their case verbally with the official and she eventually spoke to the linesman. After a consultation, the spot kick was chalked off and the away side awarded a free kick from the position of the original offside. At the other end, Charlie Lewis made a vital interception in the 31st minute, as a whipped cross in to the Saints box from the right looked destined to be converted by one of two lurking Stow forwards however he managed to divert the ball away for a corner, which was eventually cleared and this was to be the last significant action of the half apart from a half chance for the visitors as Pinter headed harmlessly wide.

No changes were made by Manager Pete Gill at the break and nine minutes into the second half it was to be his side who broke the deadlock. Andre Hasanally was sent away on the right side of the visitors eighteen yard box and although his first effort was blocked, he had the quick wittedness and speed to get a second shot away which beat the keeper from a tight angle and open his account for the Club. Charlie Lewis once again preserved our narrow lead in the 58th minute with another important block in the box when it looked odds on that the visitors would achieve parity.

A number of substitutions were to follow and after 70 minutes it was to be of these recently introduces players who was to double the lead as Trey Charles latched onto a weak backpass from the Stow right back and he duely slotted home, confidently putting the ball onto the bottom left hand corner as he bore down on goal. A minute later Gregoose was called into action, making a smart save and in the 73rd minute it should have been three as a flowing move ended with Rob Mason agonisingly firing over the bar from six yards when it seemed harder to miss.

The visitors got a foothold back into the contest in the 85th minute when Lewis was rather harshly adjudged to have dragged down a visiting forward in the box and Ward-Cochran just about squeezed the ball home from twelve yards with keeper Greygoose getting a good, strong hand to the ball but the pace carried it home into the net to half the deficit.

Unfortunately for the visitors, they were unable to complet the comback as there was still time for the Saints to add a third goal to their account as Declan Nche was played into the box by Saleem Akanbi after a neat one-two and after turning a defender, dispatched a sweet, curling strike which arced away from the dispairing dive of the keeper into the bottom left hand corner of the net.

The visitors were to get one last chance to reduce the arrears when they were awarded a free kick in a dangerous position just outside the home team’s box on the right but the direct effort on goal was held comfortably by Greygoose and shortly after the contest was brought to a close by the Match Official.

Manager Pete Gill now has six days to prepare his troops as the real action begins next Friday (5th August), when we travel to Thurlow Nunn Premier Division outfit Walsham Le Willows as we begin our Emirates FA Cup adventure with an Extra Preliminary round tie, kicking off at the slightly later than usual time of 8.00pm

 

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Saints: Greygoose, Trialist, Tarpey, Anderson, Smith, Barton, Nche, Mason, Njoku, Hasanally

Subs Used: Gill, Stallard, Akanbi, Charles  Not Used: Osei

Goals: Hasanally (54), Charles (70), Nche (88)

Attendance: 111

 

Mike Green (In John Walker’s absence)

 

Todays goals can be viewed by clicking below:

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