Mens 3 Vs Louth 1

The toughest away trip of the season awaited us today, but far better to get this one out of the way on a glorious sunny day, rather than have it in the depths of winter.

We only had 11 players today and needed support from other teams in order to get a team out and although the score line suggests it was a tough day at the office, it was for much of the game perhaps our most encouraging performance of the season.

Unfortunately and as has been a bad habit for the past year now, we were slow out of the blocks and conceded within the 1st 5 mins to a poorly taken short corner and one where we really should have kept it out. 

We were struggling to keep pace with the pace of the Louth team for the next 15 mins and we conceded again. However, we then started to get to grips with the opposition, starting man marking their danger man and suddenly we started to grow into the game. We won a short corner after 25 mins through good incisive work up the pitch by Steve, Mark and Phil. The short was duly despatched by Nathan with a powerful shot across the keeper.

Shortly afterwards we had another good chance but didn't make it count. The whistle blew for half time and there was a sense of optimism that we were in the game and getting stronger every minute.

We started the 2nd half extremely strongly and for the 1st few minutes of the 2nd half we were well on top and causing serious questions of the Louth defence. At that stage the most critical moment of the game occurred when Louth cleared their lines and the ball managed to find its way through to perhaps Louths least mobile player who had not been able to get into the game once we upped the pressure into their half. The player went to hit the ball, the ball looped high (very high, almost vertically) in the air, looping over Simon in almost slow motion and into the goal. It's probably the flukiest goal I've seen for a number of years.

that goal served to spur Louth on and gave much needed breathing space. Sr Neots were not done however and an attack from Louth was broken up by Sean who played the ball to Mark in acres of space who drove upfield, passing to Phil who then managed to score with a reverse hit, Phil's 1st league goal of the season and a reward for his hard work on his own up front.

St Neots continued to drive upfield in search of an equaliser, but were then undone by 4 further goals, 2 fortuitous, 2 very well taken, before St Neots scored their 3rd with another short corner, despatched by Sean.

We had mixed feelings at the end. Louth as we all know is a difficult place to come and get any kind of result, but we played well in patches and with a patched up team and the scoreline doesn't reflect the match. Louth deserved to win I think, but not by 3 goals and I still can't get get over their fluky 3rd goal!

Well done to all the players for a game well played and for taking the long trip.