Town hit their His-ton with first half blitz - Match Report: Histon 1 Nuneaton Town 3

By Matt Jones

Histon 1-3 Nuneaton Town

(Barnes 84 : Sawyers 14, Jardine 29, 36)

Attendance: 336

Nuneaton Town made it 13 unbeaten with first half goals from Eesa Sawyers and a double from Kyle Jardine. Despite a late consolation from the home side, Town gained 3 points from their trip to Cambridgeshire, that extended the lead at the top to a huge 17 points, and in turn reached 100 goals in all competitions for the season.

Nuneaton made one change to the starting line up from Tuesday's draw at Lutterworth Town, with Stuart Hendrie coming in for the unavailable Aaron Williams, with Justin Marsden replacing him on the bench.

The away side started the game strongly, and within 5 minutes Kyle Jardine missed a great chance to open the scoring as a square ball from Eesa Sawyers was put wide by the front man. 

However on 14 minutes Nuneaton were in front, as a long throw from Kai Thomas caused pinball in the defence and Sawyers was on hand to mop up and place the ball into the corner past the unsighted keeper (1-0).

Nuneaton continued to dominate the shaky Stutes, and on 25 minutes Sawyers nicked a through ball from the advancing keeper, and only a last ditch challenge from the defender stopped him from rolling home into an empty net. 

Two minutes later Loyiso Recci and Callum Carsley intervened in a dangerous Histon attack, before the latter and James Harrison attacked for the Town down the left - Carsley rattled the outside of the post with his effort from the left side of the box, via a fingertip save from the keeper. However Town were not to be denied and from the corner, Stuart Hendrie found Jardine with perfection to head past the keeper to double the lead (2-0).

The game took a further turn on 34 minutes as Kai Thomas went up for an aerial challenge with Tokley, and came off worst with an apparent elbow to the face. A bruised and bloodied Thomas was then withdrawn as a precaution, and with Trevor Edwards not on the bench, it was left to Corey Currithers to assume the role of right back, but not before Carsley whipped the free kick into the box for Jardine to score a second headed goal of the game and Nuneaton Town's 100th goal this season in all competitions (3-0).

Two more chances came in stoppage time as a quickly taken corner caught Histon napping, but Jardine was prevented from his hattick by a quick recovery from keeper and defence. A minute later Harrison had a go with the outside of his boot from the edge of the box, but the defensive deflection took it into the keepers hands to end a dominant first half for the away side.

Half time: Histon 0-3 Nuneaton Town

The second half in comparison to the first was a much more even affair, as Histon made two changes at half time and changed their formation to try to stem the flow of Nuneaton goals. 

In a half of few clear cut chances it took until the 69th minute for Jardine to beat the offside trap but disappointingly for him scuffed his effort wide. 

Dante Hesson came on for the last 12 minutes on the right hand side for Sawyers. And Town again missed out on a 4th goal as Stuart Hendrie beat his man in the box and lashed a shot goalwards that was well saved. 

In the last 10 minutes Histon finally found some confidence and after a header was glanced wide on 83 minutes, from the goal kick the ball was headed forward to striker Connor Barnes who slid the ball under the advancing Bache to score a consolation, Nuneaton's first concession in nearly 6 hours of football (3-1).

Nuneaton tried to restore the 3 goal lead in the dying minutes, as Hendrie had penalty shouts waved away, before Hesson had an effort go over the bar in the 90th minute before having a final attack snuffed out in stoppage time.

All in all a strong performance in which Nuneaton Town never seemed in danger from first minute to last, and, due to other postponements, it saw them go a huge seventeen points clear at the top.

Full time: Histon 1-3 Nuneaton Town

Team:

Bache, Thomas (Currithers 38), Recci, Brown, Carsley, Somel, Jones, Hendrie, Sawyers (Hesson 78), Harrison, Jardine

Subs:

Currithers, Hesson, Nyakuhwa, Marsden, Campbell

Man of the Match: Charlie Jones

Next up:

Sat 21 Feb 2026 - Grantham Town (h) - United Counties League Cup Quarter-Final