Long Eaton United have made it back-to-back wins in all competitions after beating St. Neots Town F.C by two goals to one at The Family Only Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

After a goalless first-half, Brad Munn’s side broke the deadlock in the 66th minute thanks to Evan Garnett. The Blues doubled their lead in the 80th minute and it was Dexter Walters who was back on the scoresheet.

It was a nervy last five minutes for Long Eaton with Nehemiah Richard-Noel grabbing a goal back for the visitors in the 87th minute but The Blues held on to secure a win in the league.

Long Eaton United now have a week off and are back in action on the 20th of December as they travel to Corby Town.

Munn made three changes to the starting XI that beat Sandiacre Town in the Derbyshire FA Senior Challenge Cup on Tuesday night. Jake Finnerty came in at left-back with Owen Betts absent from the matchday squad due to illness. Dexter Walters and Jamie Hanson were handed starts as George Atwal and James Shaw started on the bench. Connor Pace returned to the matchday squad.

Long Eaton United began the match on the front foot and nearly took the lead in the third minute. A Dexter Walters corner from the left was won in the air by James Taylor however his header just went wide of the top left corner.

The Blues came close again in the 12th minute as Evan Garnett turned his man on the edge of the box and rifled a shot towards goal but the ball was always slightly rising as it travelled over the crossbar. In a tightly contested first-half it was Long Eaton who were creating the better chances.

St. Neots Town F.C came close in the 40th minute as Rhys Thorpe took the ball around Lewis King but Elliot Hartmann had other ideas as he cleared Thorpe’s shot off the line with a lunging jump through the air.

The referee blew for half-time and it was all square and goalless.

Munn made one change at half-time as Jake Finnerty made way for Tristan Thompson-Matthews. It was a change that saw Jamie Hanson drop to centre back, Gianluca Bucci move out to left back and James Taylor took up a more conservative midfield role with Thomspon-Matthews sitting behind Evan Garnett.

Again, Long Eaton started the half brightly. Taylor delivered a cross into the box from the right and Jahvan Davidson-Miller managed to rise highest and win the header however his effort narrowly went wide of the top left corner.

The Blues did take a deserved lead in the 66th minute and it was that man again, Evan Garnett.

Davidson-Miller slipped through Thomspon-Matthews down the left side of the box and he crossed the ball with his left foot into across goal where Garnett was on hand to tap the ball home. It was clean build-up play by The Blues and it was topped off with a tidy finish by the striker.

The hosts had another in the 80th minute and was thoroughly deserving of it.

Walters had been causing problems for the St. Neots Town F.C all afternoon and this time he was rewarded with a goal. The winger produced a step-over and cut the ball inside onto his left foot. Taking the shot on his weaker side, the ball went through the legs of James Goff in the St. Neots goal and rolled into the back of the net.

The Saints did get a goal back in the 87th minute with Nehemiah Richard-Noel getting the slightest of touches on a wicked ball into the box by Rhys Thorpe that sent the ball into the bottom right corner.

Long Eaton did see the game out for all three points.

The Blues now have a week off and are back in action on the 20th of December when they travel to face Corby Town.

YOU BLUES!

Match Report Sam Hargave