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Town hit Yaxley for six but find league leaders too hot
Sleaford Town 6 Yaxley 1 THE gulf between the top and the lower reaches of the United Counties League Premier Division were starkly evident in Town's latest outings.
In a mid-week fixture last Tuesday, Sleaford made short work of fourth from bottom Yaxley, hitting them for six on their way to an easy three points.
But on Saturday, league leaders St Neots Town underlined just why they sit at the top of the table with a thoroughly professional performance at Sleaford's Eslaforde Park ground, scoring four without reply to confirm their title credentials.
Mid-table Town lined up against Yaxley with an attacking 3-5-2 formation largely dictated by current injuries to all of Sleaford's left backs.
The feature of the game was an excellent hat-trick from leading scorer Miles Hunter, who opened the scoring shortly before half-time from a Gary Walters corner.
Eight minutes into the second period Hunter had added a second, letting fly with an accurate strike into the top corner.
Another similar shot, leaving the Yaxley keeper well beaten, provided Hunter with his hat-trick and put the result beyond doubt.
Walters added a fourth for Town after good work by Lunn and Smith.
Shortly before that hat-trick hero Hunter came off to be replaced by Jamie Shaw and the substitute quickly had his name on the score sheet to make it 5-0.
Shaw added a second and Town's sixth two minutes from time and in between his brace Yaxley salvaged some pride with a consolation goal.
Town: Scott; T Ward, Spence, Ajimoko; Lunn, Hodgkin, P Ward, Bolland, Walters; Hunter, Oliver. Subs: Shaw, Smith, Roche, Brothwell
Sleaford Town 0 St Neots Town 4
Starting with the same line up as the Yaxley game and the same 3-5-2 formation, Sleaford entertained the league leaders St Neots on Saturday and were soon aware of why the visitors have been so successful this season.
With striker Liam Harrold a constant threat to the home defence and wing man Tony Scully the arch tormentor, the visitors earned their 10th away win of the campaign with a totally professional performance.
With the visitors' defence giving the Sleaford forwards limited opportunities, St Neots were carving out chances for themselves at the other end.
Harrold opened the scoring after 10 minutes from a training ground set piece, scoring from a corner to set St Neots on their way.
A defensive error led to the visitors' second, scored by Dan Jacobs.
Sleaford were forced to resort to a 4-4-2 system in the second half in a bid to stifle The rampant St Neots' attack but they could do nothing to prevent two more goals from the deadly Harrold to complete his hat-trick and send the delighted league leaders home with three more points in the bag.
Town: Scott; T Ward, Spence, Ajimoko; Lunn, Hodgkin, P Ward, Bolland, Walters; Hunter, Oliver. Subs: Shaw, Smith, Roche, Brothwell, McCormack
Manager's comment:
TOWN boss Brian Rowland had to concede that his side were second best on Saturday against a fine St Neots outfit.
He said: "There is no question they were the better side and deserved to win, though I didn't feel they were four goals better than us.
"They are a club with considerable resources and it showed. They were too much for us on the day.
"By contrast Yaxley were not so strong but I was pleased with the way we played in that game and the result. They are games we need to win."
Coincidentally, Sleaford again play Yaxley away this Saturday in the return fixture and they have a few injury worries.
However, Rowland is hoping that Lee Llewellyn will return from injury to address the left back problem.
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Weather for Sleaford
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North
