BLASTFROMTHEPAST

SATURDAY21st April 2012

Evo-Stik Southern League Central

St Neots Town 8 North Greenford United 0

St Neots clinched the Central Division league title in their first season at Step Four with a non stop scintillating display of football to thrash luckless North Greenford 8-0 scoring four times in each half. It took their tally of league goals to 113 in just 41 matches and they can look forward next season to life at Step Three in the Premier Division of the Southern League. It is an outstanding achievement for a side that three seasons ago finished 17th at Step Five in the UCL and is a fitting tribute to the focussed ambition of Manager Dennis Greene and Chairman Mike Kearns and of course the squad of players who have worked so hard for each other throughout the season.In front of a crowd of 817 – the highest in the Southern League on the day St Neots were irresistible against a side who had gone very close to beating them in their first meeting back in October when St Neots scraped a 2-2 draw with a late equaliser.

The match got off to the explosive start that was needed to calm any pre-match nerves for within four minutes St Neots were 2-0 up and looking certain winners before any latecomers had reached their seats.After less than ninety seconds a delightful Ben Mackey through ball played Stefan Moore clear of the offside trap and he cleverly let visiting keeper Andy Caesar commit himself before slotting the ball past him and before the excitement subsided Rene Steer marauded down the left to set up Dan Jacob who stepped inside his marker to score with a scorching left foot drive. It would have been three in six minutes but for a magnificent tumbling save by Caesar to deny Moore but St Neots carried on their domination with Chris Hope heading just wide from a Jacob corner and Mackey shaved the crossbar with a volley.Greenford looked mesmerised and after 28 minutes Steer crossed to the far post to pick out Moore who unselfishly squared for Ben Mackey to make it 3-0. Six minutes later it really was all over as a contest when Lewis Hilliard and Lewis Hilliard combined on the right and the cross was netted by Ben Mackey. Greenford’s first direct shot came from Zac Joseph but was too high and at the end of the half both Mackey and Hilliard went close to extending the lead.