Success at last . . .
St Neots Town finally claimed a first home victory of the season in Southern League Division One Central last Saturday.
Marc Abbott's strugglers thumped rock-bottom Wantage Town 5-0 in a basement battle at the Premier Plus Stadium to record just a second league win of the campaign. The previous one - at Kempston Rovers - was all the way back in August.
It was also the first time they have hit five goals in the same league match for almost two years (a 5-2 win against Merthyr Town in December, 2017 being the last occasion) while striker Alan Musoke hit the first hat-trick by a Saints man since Jevani Brown bagged a treble back in February, 2017. They were also Musoke's first goals for the club.
And Saints' victory came complete with a clean sheet for a defence featuring new recruit Tommy Boxer, who joined his younger brother, Panny, at the club when arriving on Friday from Ware Town.
Saints also received a huge helping hand from their pointless visitors as Jared Jones was sent off after only 11 minutes for a dangerous challenge.
The woodwork denied Panny Boxer a breakthrough moments later but the pressure soon told as Musoke opened his Saints account with a fine chip.
An acrobatic goal-line clearance prevented Prince Mutswunguma from doubling the lead midway through the opening half while Musoke saw another effort blocked and captain Lee Watkins, who had created the opener, fired over the bar.
But it was no major surprise when Saints did succeed in finding the net again three minutes before the break as Mutswunguma tucked away a Stevan Shaw cross.
A flurry of three goals in the space of 10 minutes during the second half then sealed an emphatic success for Saints.
Musoke provided the first two of those strikes to complete his treble by firing in off the underside of the bar and then despatching a penalty earned by Tommy Boxer.
Skipper Watkins then completed the rout with his first goal for the club while boss Abbott handed young prospect Adrian O'Hara a senior debut as a substitute.
Saints have also signed teenage midfielder Joe Massaro on loan from National League North side Kettering Town and he will feature this Saturday when they travel to Kidlington - another side who sit in the bottom six.
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