St Neots Town ran out 3-0 winners over Hinckley LR in their Northern Premier League Division One Midlands clash on Monday.

Neither side had won a league match prior to their meeting, but St Neots broke their duck with a positive if not commanding display.

Hinckley, at step four after promotion, never looked likely to spoil the Bank Holiday and their problems were compounded when Simon Alcott was sent off for two yellow cards in just three second-half minutes.

St Neots, with four team changes from their 3-0 defeat at leaders Halesowen Town on Saturday, took time to settle and saw Danny Jenno send an early free-kick over before Alcott forced a good save from Jamie Greygoose.

Trey Charles and Declan Nche sent efforts just wide and captain Callum Anderson was also off-target after an unsighted Greygoose had seen Andre Williams slice past the far post.

The lively Williams got behind the St Neots defence to cross for Joseph Lyne to sting the hands of Greygoose on 31 minutes, but the home side took the lead soon after when Joe Tarpey's surging run from halfway set up Nche for his third goal of the season.

The lively Saleem Akanbi was upended by Jenno in the build-up to the goal, which saw the Hinckley player booked, and Dominic Brennan shot over for the visitors before half-time.

St Neots looked better after the restart and Toib Adeyemo headed wide from Andre Hasanally's corner, before Greygoose saved from Brennan.

Akanbi had two shots blocked by defenders before Alcott was booked for fouling Hasanally, then dismissed soon after having brought down the same player in the box.

Goalkeeper Will Highland also found his way into the referee’s notebook but Charles kept his cool to fire home an unstoppable penalty.

Hasanally and Akanbi both went close to extending the lead before Charles produced a perfectly placed finish on 77 minutes for his second goal to end any hopes of a Hinckley comeback.

St Neots even had the luxury of sending on two new strikers in Robbie Mason and Manny Osei with the goalscorers moving back into midfield.

Now on the way back to full strength, St Neots can only grow in confidence but they face a tough challenge at step three side Bishop's Stortford in the FA Cup first qualifying round on Saturday.

St Neots: Greygoose, Lewis (Osei 58), Stallard (Smith 63), Anderson, Beckett, Adeyemi, Hasanally, Tarpey, Charles, Nche, Akanbi (Mason 80). Unused subs: Sackey-Mensah, Hoddle.