St Neots Town F.C.
Supporting the saints online

It is difficult to find much positive or complimentary to write about St Neots' early exit from the Hinchingbrooke Cup competition this season. As holders of the competition they were hosting Wootton Blue Cross who were 28 places below them in the United Counties League and who had struggled this season to record just four victories in nine assorted league and cup matches so far this season. St Neots showed little urgency or invention to surrender their unbeaten at home record this season and one visiting player went home with a broad smile on his face. That player was former St Neots club skipper Jon Hoggett who scored the first two goals for the visitors and was involved in almost every positive move initiated by Wootton. Last season Hoggett made 28 first team appearances for St Neots scoring just three goals but after the departure of Manager Marvin Johnson in March this year he was unable to get into the first team and opted to return to Wootton - the club he had left to join St Neots. Ironically his last St Neots senior appearance was in the Hinchingbrooke Cup competition at Thrapston on March 26th and now he will be the only player in that side to go forward in this season's competition! So St Neots crashed out of their fourth cup competition this season in successive cup matches and now must win the Hunts Senior Cup if they are to pick up a trophy this season.

St Neots made four team changes three days after their home league victory over Daventry United including Manager Steve Lomas who was unavailable on the night. Despite this they looked well organised and very comfortable in the opening quarter of an hour creating at least three scoreable chances against a faltering visiting defence. A flowing move involving Jordan Gent, Michael Hyem and Luke Knight ended with a cross that Liam Harrold only just failed to touch into an empty net from two yards, Harrold set up Josh Sozzo who stabbed the ball wide from eight yards and then Harrold volleyed wide. Hoggett had produced Wootton's first attempt on goal with a fierce shot just inches wide and inevitably he put Wootton on the road to victory. After 18 minutes Luke Knight conceded a free kick some 35 yards from goal and Hoggett rose high above the St Neots defence to back head home Paul Nigro's cross beyond Luke McShane. This setback did little to stem the flow of St Neots' promising attacking play and Liam Harrold and Luke Knight should both have equalised but put their efforts wide of the target. Visiting keeper Nathan Kidd was to be one of the visitors' heroes with a string of defiant saves and he denied Josh Sozzo with an acrobatic save on the edge of his area when the St Neots played looked certain to score with a clever lob. Then after 28 minutes a further set piece disaster for St Neots as Jon Hoggett was left unmarked to head home Michael Peters' corner with only Wootton's third attempt on goal. There was real controversy on 36 minutes as Luke Knight clear on goal was unceremoniously hauled down by Chris Reeves. Referee Andy Bent awarded a penalty kick and sent off the offending player but then had his attention drawn to an Assistant Referee's flag and after consultation he then changed his mind to award a direct free kick inches outside the area that was wasted to allow the visitors to preserve their two goals advantage at the break.

An audacious half time move by St Neots saw them replace leading scorer Liam Harrold with Jon Docker confident that they could overcome the arrears against ten men. However they made little headway after the break after being denied a certain looking penalty when Sozzo was brought down from behind. Ten minutes after his introduction Docker was injured by an unpunished reckless tackle and had to be substituted with Tony Scully replacing him. After 58 minutes Jordan Gent scored his first St Neots senior goal heading home a Paul Garrett corner but that was as good as it got for St Neots. Further half chances went begging and St Neots anxiety increased as the second half wore on. The hammer blow came four minutes from time with St Neots totally committed to attack and caught short in defence as Michael Peters headed home a cross from substitute Craig Richards to bring to a close a sorry start to St Neots cup hopes this season.

• Team: McShane, Hyem, Lodge, Knight, Fuff, Gent, Kenneford, Hughes, Harrold, Sozzo, Garrett
• Subs: Docker (for Harrold 46 mins), Scully (for Docker 57 mins), Marlow & Kuhne
• Man of Match: Luke Knight

Match date: Tue 29th September 2009