St Neots Town F.C.
Supporting the saints online

St Neots brushed aside a spirited challenge from Peterborough League side Alconbury in a match that will be remembered for a hat trick performance from leading scorer Liam Harrold – his second in three matches – and a violent thunderstorm that threatened to engulf the pitch and cause a replay of a match already won before the rain arrived. For plucky Alconbury it was their Cup Final as they sought to win a place in a Senior Cup semi final for the first time ever after 24 seasons in the competition. Harrold was on fire taking his personal goals tally to 19 this season as well as having another ruled out for offside and after a barren twelve seasons gap in the competition St Neots will fancy going on to beat Ramsey Town, another Peterborough League side in the semi-final to reach the final again. It was the third time in successive seasons that St Neots have scored six goals in a match in the competition. St Neots made four changes from the previous week due to injury, suspension and ineligibility so several of the squad players had their chance to impress and Dan French moving to a midfield role caught the eye.

St Neots began in very confident style with some fast moving attacking play and Tony Scully had a shot deflected, Dan Jacobs shot over the bar and Martin Fox cleared a Harrold effort off the line. However the early pressure paid off as from a Dan French corner Liam Harrold looped a header over the visiting keeper to open the scoring after eleven minutes. Eight minutes later the lead was doubled as Dan Jacobs maintained his impressive record of scoring in each of his last eight appearances when he was quick to pounce on a defensive error to score with a well placed low shot. Alconbury were out to prove they were not just cannon fodder and three minutes after conceding their second goal they almost reduced the arrears when Ashley Long stooped to head narrowly wide from a Karl McPolin free kick. Ashley Haylock then forced Luke McShane into an excellent save from a Luke McDowell cross just before the thunderstorm broke. Play became very difficult as the conditions deteriorated but ten minutes before the break Tony Scully beat two defenders to cross to the far post where Liam Harrold added to his tally with a close range header. As added time arrived at the end of the first half a Dan Drane free kick forced a full length save from Luke McShane at the expense of a corner.

The Referee gave the puddle pitch a long hard look as the half time period ended but the rain had eased and within three minutes St Neots had taken full advantage with two more goals. The first straight from the practice pitch saw Tony Scully produce the perfect free kick off the underside of the crossbar after Jacobs had been fouled right on the edge of the penalty area and the second when Michael Hyem linked with Jacobs down the left to set up Liam Harrold with his hat trick goal at the near post. Visiting keeper Dan Stephens then distinguished himself with two fine saves to deny Harrold running riot and then he did get the ball in the net again but saw his effort ruled out by an offside flag. Just past the hour Jon Mitchell made his long awaited return to action as a substitute for Matt Kenneford after a three months injury lay off and he was quickly in the thick of the action outpacing the defence to angle a shot just wide of the far post. Luke McShane then produced his third good save of the match to touch an Ashley Haycock free kick over the bar for a corner but predictably St Neots were to get the final say when Michael Hyem completed the scoring with only his second goal of the season with a lengthy shot that skidded past Stephens as Harrold ran across his line of vision. As both sets of players tired further rain would surely have caused abandonment but happily for St Neots the match was completed.

• Team: McShane, Hyem (C), Hyem (M), Knight, Fuff, Gent, Kenneford, French, Harrold, Jacobs, Scully
• Subs: Mitchell (for Kenneford 61 mins), Duckett (J), Duckett (R), Ashby & Trebes
• Man of Match: Liam Harrold

Match date: Sat 27th February 2010