“IT was a fantastic result – one which no one really expected but me,” said Huntingdon Town manager Ricky Marheineke, whose United Counties League Premier Division side put an end of Holbeach United’s unbeaten run with a 2-1 win at Carters Park in Lincolnshire on Saturday.

Holbeach had won the first eight of their nine league games before a draw at home to Boston United the previous Tuesday resulted in them dropping their first points of the season. But, as Marheineke points out, nobody was really expecting Huntingdon to go there and deny them another three points with undoubted result of the UCL day.

Despite fairing well in the Premier Division following their promotion from Division One at the end of last season, Huntingdon had lost their previous two away games – but the manager told The Hunts Post, those results were disappointing to him … even though they had come against teams considered two of the best in the league.

“I thought we were the better side in the losses at Spalding United (4-2) and Newport Pagnell Town (3-1),” he said.

“I thought we were the better side in both of those games and I was disappointed not to get anything out of the Splading game. I was even more disappointed not to get a win at Newport.”

Substitute Ben Sawyer proved the hero at Holbeach when he came off the bench for Dave Townsend to score the late winner.

Huntingdon even came from behind after the hosts had taken a fifth-minute lead courtesy of Rob Hughes.

But the visitors equalised through Ben Seymour-Shove, who scored a penalty after midfielder Townsend had been fouled in the area chasing a Ricky Dear through ball, and in the 85th minute Jamie Graham found Sawyer with a lovely pass. The former Cambridge City player found the top of the net with a strike from just inside the area.

“The attacking players we have here are unreal. I think we have one of the best three strike forces in this division,” said Marheineke. “We will always score goals – as long as we do our job at the back, we are always in with a chance.”

The game also saw the return of prodigal son Declan Rogers, who was sacked by St Neots Town last week after making an unregistered appearance for a Sunday league team, while Marheineke handed a debut to his sixth goalkeeper of the season, the former Kidderminster Harriers goalkeeper shot-stopper Andy Stevens.

The team started the season with Dave Beeny in between the sticks but he was injured in their FA Cup win against St Ives Town. After a series of temporary replacements, former Eynesbury Rovers goalkeeper Carl Mackney took the jersey – but he was only holiday for the last two games.

“Andy did really well and Carl will now have to prove himself to get back into the team,” said Marheineke. “So will Dave when he gets back. If we need to have three goalkeepers to keep up the competition then so be it.”

Jack Mitchell, Ben gathercole and Jamie Greygoose have also worn the No 1 shirt this season, while outfield players Stuart Eason and Josh Crick have also been called upon as stand-ins during during.

“That’s eight goalkeepers. Not bad in 14 games,” said Marheineke.

The manager confirmed Stevens will start at Irchester United on Tuesday night.

Huntingdon v Holbeach: Andy Stevens, Ashley Yeomans, Jake Waterworth, Ollie Medwynter, Ben Seymour-Shove, Ricky Dear, Jack Warwick (Declan Rogers), Dave Townsend (Ben Sawyer), Niks Savalneiks, Jamie Graham (Stuart Eason).