Super Saints off the mark in seven goal thriller
WISBECH ST MARY 4, DISS TOWN 3
Thurlow Nunn Eastern Counties League Division One North
If this is the last football we see for a month, then this afternoon, Wisbech St Mary gave us all a game to remember throughout November.
The Saints gave their all from the first whistle until the end, with young hat-trick hero Harvey Neale and his strike partner Ryan Lennon running the Tangerines' defence ragged.
David Weaver-Pope was also inspirational in midfield as the home team chalked off their first win of the season after 11 straight defeats.
Bottom-of-the-table St Mary started on the front foot against their eighth placed visitors and took the lead in the ninth minute when former Norwich City academy player Neale was played through and slotted home coolly from ten yards out.
Eight minutes later and Lennon probably should have made it two, but fired over from 15 yards. However, after 23 minutes, it was two, 18-year-old Neale running across the box, evading a couple of tackles and drilling home a right foot shot.
Three minutes after that, Neale missed an easier chance than his goals, scooping over after a great through ball by Lennon. But it was 3-0 in the 33rd minute as Edmilson Fernandes put in a defence-splitting through ball and Lennon broke the offside trap to fire home.
Saints have blown good leads over the past couple of seasons though, and a wonder goal from Diss' best player, Bryn Mullen, from 25 yards two minutes later meant Saints went in at the break not as happy as they might have been.
As expected, Diss started on the front foot and nearly pulled a goal back after 49 minutes, only for player manager Stuart Beckett to put in a great block to deny a goal-bound effort from Mullen, after he rounded keeper Joe Tarris.
But Saints were still an attacking force too and Neale saw a 57th minute effort cleared off the line and fired the rebound over as a thrilling match swung from one end to the other.
Tarris then made a great save on the hour to stop a James Bemrose pile-driver, before the striker did make it 3-2 four minutes later, rounding the home keeper and slotting home.
With 26 minutes remaining, home hopes of hanging on seemed slim. However, not only did Saints resist an equaliser, they went up the other end and made it 4-2 in the 80th minute.
David Weaver-Pope went on a strong run through midfield, laid off the ball to Lennon and he squared unselfishly to Neale, who slammed in from an angle to seemingly seal the win.
Four minutes later it was Neale again, seeing an angled effort headed off the line. But this is Wisbech St Mary – they never make it easy – and in the 90th minute a headed goal from Adam Race for Diss made it 4-3.
However, the Saints quelled a late Tangerines onslaught and held on for a well deserved first three points of the season.
WISBECH ST MARY: Tarris, Embalo, Bass (Pereira 81 mins), Goult, Beckett, Fox, Irotumhe, Weaver-Pope, Lennon, Fernandes (Minster 66), Neale. Sub (not used): Baro.
DISS: Nicolle, Peek, Race, Wilson, French, Hutchinson, Cawcutt, Taunton, Bemrose, Maloney (Woodhouse 74 mins), Mullen. Sub (not used): Ali.
BOOKINGS: Neale, Lennon, Pereira (Wisbech St Mary), Mullen (Diss).
GOALS: Neale (1-0, 9 mins), Neale (2-0, 23), Lennon (3-0, 33), Mullen (3-1, 35), Bemrose (3-2, 64), Neale (4-2, 80), 4-3 (Race 90).
STAR MAN: Lennon and Weaver-Pope were outstanding in a great team performance, but man of the match has to go to hat-trick hero Harvey Neale, who was a threat all afternoon.
Previously...
Wisbech St Mary 1, Sudbury Reserves 3
