MEETING

FA Trophy First Round Qualifying -19th October 2013

Halesowen Town 1 St Neots Town 3

St Neots recorded their first ever away victory in the FA Trophy at their eighth attempt with a good all round display at Halesowen to make it two consecutive Cup victories in just five days. Once again two of the three goals came from recent signings and there was a five star display in goal by Niall Conroy who was only beaten late in the game when the Northern Premier League (South) side claimed a consolation goal. The three St Neots players requiring fitness tests after missing the Hitchin cup match, skipper Gavin Hoyte, Adrian Sear and Leon Hibbert were all able to be included in the starting line up and in an open attacking match that created a host of scoring chances at either end the visitors thoroughly deserved their place in the second qualifying round. Conroy began his heroics as early as the fourth minute when Thomas Tonks sent a through pass inside the final visiting defender and the pacey Ben Haseley with only the keeper to beat tried to take the ball past him but Conroy timed his dive perfectly to get a hand to the ball and deflect it away from the forward. St Neots then settled into a pattern with their three midfield players Hibbert, Sear and Davies dominating the game which resulted in efforts from Lewis Hilliard, Jay Davies and Jake Woolley all going close to opening their account. Another Haseley effort was over the bar but after 24 minutes St Neots deservedly took the lead when from an inswinging Hilliard corner Dave Deeney rose to head home from the edge of the six yards box – his second goal in successive matches. Home keeper Paul Evans then produced two good saves to deny Hilliard and Woolley and although Conroy had to be alert to save a Iyseden Christie snap shot St Neots looked comfortably in control. They were further rewarded six minutes before the break when the hard working Jake Woolley sidestepped a defender close to the bye line to score the visitors’ second goal from a narrow angle – also his second goal of the week. Four minutes before the break as Halesowen tried to respond to this second setback Conroy produced two reaction saves from close range efforts as the St Neots defence got in a tangle and that was to prove an important moment for the visitors.