St Ives 3 (O) vs St Neots 3 O

Season-openers should all be like this. A commanding 5–0 victory away at St Neots allaying any questions as to how the newish looking squad would fare. Ranner said ‘enjoy’, so we did!

In truth much of the damage was done in the first ten minutes as Ives raced into a 3–0 lead. Jack opened the scoring with a clinical drag flick from a short corner before Frankie and Ranner both pounced amid goalmouth scrambles, each effort the product of short, sharp passing and attacking runs into space. For a full 20-mins Ives’ midfield and attack probed, pressed and prised open their defence. Effortless switching round the back added to a sense of measured control.

Ives sensibly consolidated through to half-time, regrouping with a target to double their tally after the break. Patience was rewarded on the hour mark, when a blistering move at high tempo ended with Alisdair cutting back from the byline for Jon to meet at pace and slot home - a goal of real quality.

St Neots were punished again late on as they tired. Swift passing from deep found Frankie and Jack combining neatly before releasing Leo, who surged half the pitch and coolly dinked over the keeper to seal the rout and earn himself MoM.

Plaudits to the widemen Ranner and Tom for keeping width and to the defense and Alex in goal, on an otherwise quiet afternoon, for smothering half-chances and neutralizing the single short-corner faced.