St Neots Town F.C.
Supporting the saints online

Despite having to play for 32 minutes with ten men St Neots moved confidently to the top of the Western Division of the Ridgeons Youth League with a solid display at Bourne. The home side have had a poor start and this was their third consecutive defeat but that should not detract from a good performance by the visitors who were missing regulars from their side. The victory was comprehensive and there were some good individual displays with Jack Warwick very impressive in midfield and the defence giving away very little.

After a slow start St Neots took the lead after ten minutes when Josh Sadler surprised the home keeper with a shot from 25 yards that Anthony Murphy could only palm over his head and into the net. At the other end Bourne mounted a couple of attacks but Adam Michelin dominated his area with some good catches. The score was doubled after 16 minutes when Rob Gooch played a forward pass for George Finney to outpace his marker and lob the ball over the advancing keeper for a second goal. The home keeper then produced two good saves to deny a volley from Gooch before diving bravely at the feet of James Godfrey. The home attack threatened very little with Luke Dawson marshalling the St Neots defence and just before the half hour a searching free kick by Jack Warwick found the head of James Godfrey who had risen above the defence to score the third St Neots goal. The half ended with St Neots well on top having not looked like conceding a goal.

Bourne resumed after the break with skipper Thomas Binns taking over the goalkeeper's jersey from Anthony Murphy who was injured. He was quickly in action saving from Finney and Sadler but after 58 minutes St Neots were reduced to ten men when Aidan McLean was sent off for a ‘studs up' challenge that earned him a straight red card. However undeterred St Neots increased their lead just a minute later when Godfrey won an important challenge on the edge of the Bourne penalty area handing George Finney his second goal of the game. Bourne then enjoyed their best spell of the match as they pushed forward to take advantage of their numerical superiority. Thomas Price should have pulled a goal back when he sent a free header from a corner over the bar and Michelin saved well to deny Gary Handley. With fourteen minutes remaining Sadler drifted past two defenders to cross to the far post to set up Rob Gooch with a simple far post tap in to make it 5-0 but then Bourne snatched a consolation goal when the St Neots defence made their only significant mistake in not clearing a free kick and Thomas Price sent a low shot through a packed penalty area. However St Neots had the last word two minutes from time when substitute Adam Kidman set up Josh Sadler for his second goal.

• Team: Michelin, Neves, Rafill, Warwick, Dawson, Spavins, Sadler, McLean, Finney, Godfrey, Gooch.
• Subs: Barron (for Rafill 67 mins), Kidman (for Godfrey 76 mins), Melanie (for Finney 87 mins) – not used – Samuel & Shipp
• Man of Match: Jack Warwick

Match date: Thu 17th September 2009