Stunning Tolley strike caps spectacular win for goal-crazy St Neots Town

St Neots Town 8-2 Arlesey Town

IT was gr-eight night for Saints on Monday as they smashed Arlesey Town at The Hunts Post Community Stadium.

Arlesey, last season’s Southern League Division One Central champions, were no match for a makeshift St Neots side, who were inspired by a four-goal salvo from Lewis Hilliard.

Stefan Moore also chipped in with a brace while substitutes Dan Jacob and Shane Tolley also netted.

It took their goal tally to 28 from their 10 pre-season fixtures so far, with their games producing a staggering 51-goal aggregate total.

Delighted manager Dennis Greene said: “I thought it was going to be a tough, competitive game because, bar a couple of players, that was pretty much their full side.

“But that just shows how well we’re playing – and we’re doing that in every game, not just every three games.

“Looking at the pre-season fixtures at the start of July, it was hard to see where we were going to get a win from.

“But, 10 games in, we’ve won six and scored nearly 30 goals. It’s just phenomenal.”

The goal of the night was scored in spectacular fashion by Tolley on 80 minutes, when he produced a breathtaking scissor-kick to volley home a Hilliard cross – with manager Greene likening the goal to Wayne Rooney’s memorable effort in the Manchester derby last season.

Arlesey’s weaknesses were ruthlessly exposed by Saints early on, who scored five times in a scintillating 21-minute spell in the first half.

Hilliard’s pass set up Moore to open the scoring on 14 minutes, before roles were reversed nine minutes later, with Moore setting up Hilliard goal for number two.

Moore netted his seventh goal of pre-season on 26 minutes before two goals in a minute soon after – both finished by Hilliard – capped a memorable first half.

Joel Mason and Chris Marsh registered for the visitors on the scoresheet after the break, but further home goals from Jacob, Hilliard and that special effort from Tolley, put the icing on the cake.

Ryman Leaguers Concord Rangers are the visitors to St Neots this evening, kick-off 7.45pm.

Saints then round off their pre-season fixtures with a home game against Midlands Alliance champions Coalville Town, who disposed of King’s Lynn on the way to last season’s FA Vase final.

Saints: Duggan, Grieve, Harradine, Webb (C), Fordham, Gent, Davies, MacKenzie, Moore, Hilliard, A Greene.

Subs used: Henerbery, Montique, Hope, Tolley, Konadu, Jacob.