Ladies 1st XI 2-0 Kettering 1st XI
 
Goal Scorers: Amie Hone, Lisa Coe
 
On a beautiful day Saints didn't get off to the greatest start and within the first 10 minutes gave away the first short corner to Kettering, fortunately after some good defending Saints managed to keep Kettering from scoring.  Saints then started to put the pressure on the Kettering defence and an excellent through ball from Esther Keijbets was picked up by Lisa Coe who scored with a reverse stick shot and luckily wasn't distracted by Fran Lee who decided to do a theatrical dive in front of her at the goal. 
 
Saints started the second half strongly and were playing the ball around with confidence keeping good possession.  Caroline Avery took advantage of a foul taking a quick self pass and passing the ball through to player of the match Amie Hone who took on a couple of Kettering players and went on to score a well deserved goal, making it 2-0.  For the rest of the game Saints continued to battle with some good possession from both teams, and finished the game securing an important 3 points.
 
This result took Saints back to top of the table on joint points with Bedford but ahead on goal difference and with a game in hand.
 
Saints take on Students Loughborough Uni 2's at home next Saturday, 12:30 on the Water Base at Moulton, please come and give them your support.

 

Men’s 1stXI 4-8 Khalsa 1stXI

 Goals: Stuart Clark, Ben Scott (2), Dave Saunders,

Saints started this game full of confidence and nothing to lose after winning their last two games. The game was very even for the first 15 minutes and Stuart Clark cancelled out an early goal from Khalsa with a great individual effort. Khalsa’s clinical finishing proved the difference for the remainder of the half as they punished mistake after mistake from Saints and took a 5-1 lead into half time. Stern words during the break seemed to spark Saints into life as they pushed to get back into the game. The home side still failed to convert easy chances until Ben Scott pulled one back; his drag flick hitting a defender on the line before converting the resulting penalty stroke.  Khalsa then hit Saints on the break after the home side gave away possession on the halfway line. Saints continued to dominate possession and Dave Saunders scored to unnerve the away side. Again Khalsa broke away to re-establish their 4 goal advantage. Scott converted another short corner to make the score 4-7 and was unlucky not to grab a hat trick as another flick smashed into the crossbar. Unfortunately Khalsa converted their last short corner after time to finish the game 8-4 winners. A fantastic second half from Saints who will feel disappointed that early mistakes once again have cost them dearly.

 

 

 

Men's 2nd XI 1-5 Cannock 2nd XI

Goals: Martyn Cory (pc)

The 2s arrived at Cannock knowing they were in for a tough afternoon against the league champions.

After some motivational words from Simon Stringer, the game started as Saints got off to a flyer! Passing the ball around, movement off the ball, short sharp passing. Suddenly everything they'd been coached to do was paying off as for the first 15 minutes Saints camped themselves in Cannock's half. Unfortunately like previous games they lacked that killer instinct in front of goal, and were punished as a Cannock long ball wasn't dealt with properly by keeper Sam Biddle and allowed them to score. Cannock then went onto punish Northampton with 3 further goals before half-time. Before the half ended Martyn Cory proceeded to hit the post twice as the forwards once again wasted some good chances.

A half-time rally, and the 2s came out in determined fashion again for the second half. They again began to create chances, and this time kept the Cannock forwards at bay. Stephan Williams, on his 2s debut was getting stuck in in the middle of the park. Saints pressure and persistance finally paid off as Martyn Cory dragged the ball into the bottom left corner from a penalty corner (and he actually meant to put it there!). With their heads up high Northampton continued to press and threaten the Cannock goal, and as Cannock became more frustrated it looked like another goal was coming. Unfortunately it wasnt to be and with a few minutes to go a defensive lapse allowed Cannock to score an underserved fith.

Not for the first time this season, Saints were taught a lesson in clinical finishing!

 

Points of interest from the day:

• James Knibb for forgetting his astros!
• Andy Smith for forgetting his kit, then making his car load drive back to Northampton to get it!!
• Ben Northedge for missing training to go to the ballet!.....
• Colyn Biddle for missing the start of the pre-match team talk!
• Pete Riches for turning up just before half-time (with Knibb's astros!).
• Ben Northedge for picking a fight again!
• Sam Biddle for wiping out Cannock's centre forward (who then had to be subbed himself whilst in a daze!)
• Martyn Cory and Dan Rose for having the most boring conversation ever about Weed Killer! (Wouldnt recommend this topic as a chat up line!). That was almost as good as Cory's conversation about re-heating a sunday roast!!

MOTM: Stephan Williams - great debut.

DOTD: Pete Riches (for missing half the game!), and Sam Biddle for his opening howler!

 

Squad: Sam Biddle (GK), Simon Stringer, Pete Riches, Ben Northedge, Alex Mcindoe, Matt Wilde, Matt Gausden (c), Athiq Thamby, Liam Cassidy, Andy Smith, Stephan Williams, James Knibb, Dan Rose, Martyn Cory

 

 

Burton 4th XI 1-2 Men’s 4th XI

Goals; Ant Condon, Luke Pibworth

Attendance; 7

Tea; Veggie spagbol

In the news; Japan

Bish Bash Bosh

A 9am meet meant tired eyes for many Saints players who didn’t even know whether it was still light or dark at that time of the morning.

Up the motorway then, for what proved to be a bad tempered and bruising encounter in the shadow of Marston’s brewery.

Saints started brightly with Anthony Stevens running all the way down the wing, taking it past seven or eight players.

The visitors’ principle tactic however, appeared to be Luke Pibworth not getting dressed when the umpire told him to. It paid off though, when Ross McLean counter-attacked, smacked a diagonal ball to Marcus Spencer-Brown, whose poor first touch tricked a defender into a false sense of security. Spencer-Brown then gleefully rolled the ball to Ant Condon who stroked the ball past the keeper and into the net.

The now-fully-clothed Pibworth got in on the act shortly after with a reverse-stick shot which was blocked; he then jammily scored from the rebound.

2-0 up at half time and Jim Phipps’ team talk was completely ignored as Saints were turned over in the first two minutes by a fired up Burton who collectively roared the ball into the goal with their hair on fire. Half-time oranges laced with performance enhancing drugs had obviously done the trick as Burton spent the second half peppering Scott Bashford with shots from all angles.

But Saints heroically held on. Spencer-Brown got taken out by a big lad and Tom Bradshaw got his first ever card for tussling with a Burton attacker in front of the umpire. George Roberts was a rock in defence, easily taking out attackers three times his size.

Bashford kept the visitors in it, taking out Burton’s big forward and screaming “Noooooooooooo!” in slow motion at the umpire’s every decision.

Saints didn’t cave in though; McLean’s hard work in the D led to a shot hitting the post and a strong run from Joe Cliffe could only be stopped by a firm tackle from Spencer-Brown. Call it a communication error. Whatever it was, it was catching, as Stevens and Chris Godman exchanged a pass and then simply admired their handywork as a Burton attacker picked it up and ran away with the ball.

Tactically though, the second half was instantly forgettable. As punishment, half the team was taken out in a drive-by shooting after the game.

MOM; Scott Bashford

DOD; Scott Bashford

 

Scott Bashford (GK), Joe Cliffe, Jim Phipps (C), George Roberts, James Ruse, Anthony Stevens, Will Gamble, Tom Bradshaw, Gary Patterson, Marcus Spencer-Brown, Chris Godman, Ross McLean, Ant Condon, Luke Pibworth.