Second place in league for St Neots Town Football Club

St Neots exploded into life after the break to bang in three goals in an eight-minute period to lift themselves up to second place in the league.

However, the first 45 minutes had been a nervy affair with the visitors unable to turn superior possession into goals against a stubborn home defence.

GNG Oadby are bottom of the table with just two wins from their 12 completed league matches prior to this meeting but from the off they looked a resilient outfit competent to test St Neots’ impressive run of league form.

Eventually the comfortable 3-0 margin extended St Neots record in league and cup to six wins and a draw in their last seven outings - four of which have been away from home.

Now they face the two clubs directly above and below them in the league in consecutive matches - one at home and the other away.

For this match manager Cameron Mawer was forced into two changes.St Neots Town manager Cameron Mawer. (Image: SNTFC) Chris Tavernier and Harvey Williams both unavailable, so into the side came Sam Willis and Danny Baulk, the latter for his first league start this season.

Both sides made a cautious start defending well without seriously testing the opposing defence, and in the opening 15 minutes the attacking tally was just two unsuccessful St Neots corners.

Then Mike Amaeshike sent Rhys Thorpe clear of the home defence, but his low shot was blocked by a back peddling defender. 

St Neots then lost injured defender Nathan George who was replaced by 16-year-old substitute Robbie Sutherland who slotted in impressively at full back with skipper Robbie Parker moving into central defence.

Little was seen of the home attack although Lottredge Mutera sent a free kick from a dangerous position high over the bar. In the final five minutes before the break Connor Furlong spurned two good openings for the visitors – first cutting in to shoot narrowly over the bar and then shooting wide of the far post.

The first 20 minutes after the break saw a different St Neots side in action. They dominated play pinning the home side back in their half and creating chances almost every time they went forward.

Furlong tested home keeper Adam Binks from distance and then Thorpe went clear but shot across the face of goal from a narrow angle.

Then after 57 minutes Kieran Barnes scored from the spot. (Image: SNTFC) was felled as he burst into the penalty area, and he picked himself up to open the scoring from the penalty spot.

Sixty seconds later he was upended once again – this time just outside the area but from that free kick he sent the ball over the crossbar.

Then six minutes after the opening goal the score was doubled as Amaeshike sent Rhys Thorpe clear through a square lying home defence and this time he made no mistake with a confident finish past the advancing goalkeeper.

After 65 minutes it was 3-0 when the lively Sam Willis danced through the home defence to cross for a simple close-range tap-in for Connor Furlong.

Both sides then made a series of substitutions including a total of six in the final 15 minutes leading to little positive attacking play by either side and St Neots seemed happy to keep possession without seriously further testing the home goal.