St Neots Town F.C.
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With only four of last season's regulars side still eligible for St Neots' U18's it was a new look team that contested their first home league match of the new season and for the first 45 minutes it looked as though they still had much to learn about both teamwork and each other. Chatteris had lost their first six league matches last season but they looked a well drilled and slick outfit from the start and they look capable of improving on last season's ninth place in the final table.

The visitors were quickly into their stride and created all the early openings as St Neots struggled to find their shape. Chatteris deservedly took the lead after ten minutes when a long throw by Jack Saunders caught the defence unawares and Ben Matthews cleverly stepped inside his marker to fire a low shot across the keeper and into the net. Sam Copeland's dead ball kicking was a constant threat to the St Neots goal and from a corner Adam Michelin had to produce a back breaking save to tip the ball over the bar. Minutes later another Copeland corner was not cleared and fortunately for the home side Rob Gooch was well placed to clear off the line. St Neots first real effort was a shot from distance by Ian Neves comfortably saved by visiting keeper Luke Fage and then Richard Willard shot wide. Home keeper Michelin was in regular action saving well from Steven Turnbull and Lee Barnett and St Neots almost equalised when Neves won a Josh Sadler corner in the air but his header was too high. Chatteris should have increased their lead but Turnbull shot high over the bar from eight yards and then just before the break St Neots skipper Jake Hiom was carried off badly injured by a reckless tackle from Matthews who was booked.

After the break St Neots reshuffled with Neves in at centre back and Rob Barren on as substitute and they quickly came back into the match to pin Chatteris back on the defensive. Richard Willard squandered an open goal chance firing over the bar after great work by Jack Warwick and then Fage made a fine save to deny Josh Sadler and on the hour Willard shot across goal to beat the keeper but his shot rebounded from the foot of a post. The St Neots pressure paid off after 66 minutes when Josh Sadler broke down the right and his cross was swept in at the far post by James Godfrey to level the scores. Chatteris responded and St Neots had Michelin to thank for three excellent saves that denied the visitors a winning goal. He denied substitute Liam Lewis and then twice denied Gary Smith and was assisted by Aidan Mclean who cleared off the line from Michelin. Both sides striving for a winner made it an exciting end to the match and in the final analysis a point apiece was a fair result.

• Team: Michelin, Neves, Rafill, Warwick, Hiom, Gent, Sadler, McLean, Willard. Gooch, Godfrey
• Subs: Barren (for Hiom 46 mins), Melannie (for Gooch 72 mins), Kidman (for McLean 81 mins) – not used – Whittingham & Mitchell
• Man of Match: Adam Michelin

Match date: Thu 3rd September 2009