UCL Premier Division St Neots Town 3 Holbeach United 0 A MUCH-improved performance saw St Neots retain second place in the Premier League table – just. Saints go to Boston on Saturday for a six-pointer against a side also sitting on 55 points after the w

UCL Premier Division

St Neots Town 3 Holbeach United 0

A MUCH-improved performance saw St Neots retain second place in the Premier League table - just.

Saints go to Boston on Saturday for a six-pointer against a side also sitting on 55 points after the weekend's matches.

Managers Iain Parr and Ivan Finch made several changes for the visit of mid-table Holbeach and the Saints looked in a buoyant mood from the start.

After a tense opening, it was the visitors who found the net first but the effort was disallowed for an infringement on home goalkeeper Jon Chatfield.

On 17 minutes it was the home side that took the lead as David Fisk put a fine cross into the Holbeach box. The defender got to the ball first but made a real mess of clearing his lines and Dean McElroy found time and space to power St Neots into the lead with his first goal in a Saints shirt.

Chris Johnson and Jon Hoggett had chances to increase the advantage but St Neots went into the interval with just a one-goal lead.

Saints continued in the same vein after the break when Fisk and Johnson had opportunities to score before the second goal finally arrived.

Youngster Jon Hall, making his first full start, outpaced the defence and chipped a delightful ball to Kevin Byrne who gladly accepted the invitation to bury the ball in the net.

With Steve Dogbe and Tony Russell in commanding form in defence, the Holbeach attack was almost non-existent and the introduction of Luigi Rocco and Andy Findlay only served to heap more problems on the stretched visitors' back four.

The third goal was just reward for the midfield efforts of Danny Marlow and Hoggett as the former set up a great ball for Findlay to nip in for a smartly taken goal.

There was still time for the referee to disallow a Johnson effort on the full-time whistle but Saints will be pleased not just with the three points but the way in which the win was achieved.

* Saints go to Boston on Saturday and welcome Newport Pagnell on Tuesday.