St Neots Town have claimed the scalps of two higher-league opponents within a week, after beating Arlesey Town and Farnborough Town.

Arlesey Town 1-3 St Neots Town

ST NEOTS Town saw off the challenge of higher-league opposition for the second time in a week with an impressive and comprehensive victory at �Arlesey Town.

Although intended as primarily an exercise to build stamina in the squad, Neots followed up their Tuesday night win over Farnborough Town with a dominant showing.

Dan Jacob showed signs of the forms he delivered at the end of last season, by bagging two late goals, after Rob Hughes had scored a first-half free-kick. A late goal for the Zamaretto Midland division side, scored with six minutes left, did not threaten a Saints team that controlled the game throughout.

Neots started with purpose, and Dan French crossed dangerously for Lee Bassett early on, though the striker could not get his head to the ball. French’s involvement was cut short by injury after just 15 minutes, but Bassett went close again in the first half, as did Will Fordham.

The breakthrough came on 33 minutes when Tony Scully was brought down centrally 25 yards out, and Rob Hughes stepped up to fire home his second pre-season goal.

Saints keeper Luke McShane had to produce a good stop shortly after, but Neots finished the half on top.

They continued on in the same vein after the break, with Dan Jacob and Junior Kanuda threatening to exploit spaces in the Arlesey defence. Scully saw an effort saved after latching on to Jacob’s cross.

Saints extended their lead on 68 minutes when Kanuda’s pass sent Jacob into the box and he calmly finished left-footed with a shot across the goalkeeper.

Kanuda nearly added one himself, curling one effort just over the bar and seeing shot saved, and Jacob could have added another.

He was not to be denied for long however, and with eight minutes left he bent a shot into the far corner from the edge of the box.

Arlesey pulled a late goal back after a neat one-touch move, but Saints held out comfortably for the win.

St Neots Town 1-0 Farnborough Town

ST NEOTS claimed the Blue Square Bet Conference scalp of Farnborough Town on Tuesday with a one-goal victory that belied the Saints’ dominance.

With Junior Kanuda, Lewis Webb and Michael Hyem pulling the strings, Neots made their extra man in midfield count, and kept Farnborough goalkeeper Michael Jordan busy.

He had to save from Webb and Kanuda in the opening minutes, as Lee Bassett tormented the visiting defence.

The only goal of the game came after just eight minutes, when Tony Scully’s corner was headed down by Will Fordham and Dan Jacob reacted fastest to prod home.

Hyem and Bassett followed up with chances in the first half, with the visitors restricted to just one effort when James Benjamin latched on to a Fordham backpass but shot wide.

Five changes at half time took the edge from the game, but Jacob again went close with a curling effort. Tim Trebes in the Neots goal had to be alert for an Owen Price effort that went just wide.

There were three further Neots substitutions on the hour as the squad was given a run-out, with Callum Earls the only outfield player to complete the 90 minutes.