First game of the season saw Sandiacre travel to last seasons high flyers Blackstones.
Early pressure from the saints saw Travis Munn play in Ryan Baker earning a throw in dangerous territory, Hayden headed goalwards and forced a good save by the stones keeper. Shortly after good work down the left saw baker put in a good cross that was blocked at the front post. The pressure continued with Hayden playing in Baker but the stones keeper was alert to the threat.
5 minutes in Blackstones had there first attack and a through ball forced Ashely Varnham to pull up with a hamstring injury which saw the saints having to make an early change with Lewis Gillman coming on from the bench and Josh Warren dropping back into defence.
First real chance for the home side came on 10 minutes with Alex Smith down low to push wide a shot.

The Saints forced a corner on 12 minutes played short to Clarke with a knock back to the edge of the box and Prestyn Moore fired off a shot only for the rebound to be saved from a Hayden shot.

Saints continued there early pressure but on 15 minutes a header back to keeper Smith ended up short and stones managed to flick the ball past and across the box to take the lead 1-0
shortly after it was 2-0 with a well worked move played through the Saints defence and a low shot beat Smith

Despite being behind Saints continued to push forward with first Baker and the Moore forcing saves out of the Blackstones number 1.
On the half hour mark Moore went past 2 and forced a great save to earn a corner which was headed over the bar.

32 gone and stones beat the offside trap but Smith once again saved low down to save the Saints from going further behind

Prestyn Moore continued to cause problems for the stones defence and after going past 2 defenders crossed for Clarke who headed over, at the other end Smith was called into action once more and a quick ball out set Baker free down the left who won a free kick, from the free kick the rebound fell to Clarke who lashed at the ball and blazed high, much to his disgust (we cant repeat the words heard around the ground)

half time 2-0 to the homeside.
No changes at half time, but saints continued to press and were playing some good passing football, however the stones defence stood firm.
60 mins in Clark and Warren were replaced with Mackenzie Bult and Tristan Elson , as the second half continued saints continue to push forward but to no avail.
Trav Munn gave away a foul on the edge of the box despite the protests to the ref,the resulting freekick was cleared away easily. As the half continued saints were unlucky not to pull a goal back with more pressure.

with 10 minutes left to go Blackstones hit the bar from a long range shot that looked to be going over, from the resulting clearance saints broke free and won a free kick which substitute Hugo Broughton hit the bar from, as the clock ticked down saints won a corner and trav munn was unlucky not to get on the end of it.

full time score 2-0 to blackstones but the saints can take heart from the performance and were unlucky on multiple occasions.

Man Of The Match today could have gone to a number of players however it goes to Alex Smith in the saints goal