St Neots Town produced a woefully inept home performance and visitors Didcot took full advantage - winning 4-0.

Saints were minus three because of COVID-19, goalkeeper Louis Chadwick, midfielder Myles Cowling and striker Neo Richard-Noel, after testing positive following the midweek game, but that was no excuse for a well below-par performance.

With their second senior goalkeeper George Whitehall nursing a broken finger, St Neots had to call upon 17-year-old youth goalkeeper George Anthony to make his senior debut, and former manager Marc Abbott returned in midfield in a further patched-up side.

They were particularly vulnerable in defence where Charlie Johnson and recent signing Gradi Milenge looked poor and uncoordinated, and they created little in attack without a recognised striker in their squad.

Despite that they opened brightly, taking the game to their visitors but crucially without testing the goalkeeper.

And on eight minutes they were hit by a quick break, Didcot's Noah Alabi cutting inside from the left flank past two static defenders, before beating the rookie goalkeeper with an angled low shot.

They went further ahead four minute later as a corner from Connor Barratt was headed back across goal for the unmarked Joshua Hedges to add a second.

Barratt cleared a chance off the line but that was as close to a goal that St Neots got in a torrid first half.

They started the second half well enough and making for goal Ky Marsh-Brown was hauled down earning visiting defender Harley Giles a caution.

Both Joshua Green and Kwai Marsh-Brown shot wide, the second following a Wynford Marfo cross after some patient build up play by St Neots.

It was the home side’s defensive play that was causing concern though and there seemed to be little protection for their debutant goalkeeper.

But after an hour they could have struggled their way back into the game, Marfo's cross finding Kwai Marsh-Brown who was guilty of the miss of the match as he skied the ball high over the bar from six yards.

Substitute Max Smalley did liven up the home attack but sent a good chance straight into the arms of the visiting keeper.

And the pressure always seemed to be on the home defence so it was no surprise when a fluffed clearance from Milenge on 75 minutes allowed Didcot skipper Seth Humphries to smash the ball into the net for the third goal.

Anthony did save bravely at the feet of Alabi before the visiting captain was sent-off with five minutes to go for a dangerous tackle.

Even so Didcot left their best for last as two minutes into added time they added a fourth goal when Charley Barker missed a tackle on the edge of the area and Barrett sealed the points.


St Neots: Anthony, Marfo, A.Smith, Barker, Johnson, Milenge, Abbott, Watkins, Green (Smalley 55), Kwai Marsh-Brown, Kyjuon Marsh-Brown

Subs (not used): Wilson-Braithwaite, Gomes, Clark, Dean.

Booked: Kwai Marsh-Brown 83


Didcot: L.Bedwell, Barder, J.Smith T.Bedwell, Giles, McNeill, McKirnan (Parsons 46), Barratt, Alabi, Humphries, Hedges.

Subs (not used): Bones, Evans.

Goals: Alabi 8, Hedges 12, Humphries 75, Barrett 90+2

Booked: Giles 50.

Sent-off: Humphries 85



HT: St Neots Town 0 Didcot Town 2

Referee: Joshua Crofts (Huntingdon)

Attendance: 268