Nail Biter of a finish sees Holwell though!

Jelson Senior Cup Quarter finals Holwell 2 - 1 Lutterworth Athletic

Holwell come through a battering to come from behind and clinch Semi-Final place.

Under incessant rain and slippy conditions both teams started very cagey and football was poor for the first 20mins. Holwell had the first chance to go ahead on 10mins when Levi Fray found himself through on goal but failed to hit target. Fray was finding good space o the right and sent in a peach of a pass to Jay Kirkby over the last defender but Kirkby failed to take the chance.

Holwell were pressurising well and having the best of the half but forwards were shot shy for some reason wanting to make just one more pass rather than taking the responsibility themselves leading to several missed opportunities.

As the half grew it was Holwell that were on top but all that effort and pressure came to nothing when on 29mins Jack Sutherland latched onto a pass and put the visitors in front with a good finish against the run of play. Holwell pushing for the opener had been caught too far forward and could not defend the break away attack.

It didn’t take long for Holwell to get back into their stride and they continued to attack the Lutterworth goal and the home side got back on level terms on 41mins when Mooney pounced at the back post to fire an unstoppable shot passed keeper Mark Lill. HT 1 – 1

Holwell started the second half and the home fans were hoping that the forwards would take more shots at goal in the second half and within 3mins Michael Stevenson tried to chip the keeper from 20yds but just missed the target.

Lutterworth tried to go on the offensive and on 51mins were caught out pushing forward like Holwell earlier and from an attacking position the ball was cleared long to Kirkby on the left who took the ball well in the wet conditions sending in a raking pass inside the last defender for Mooney to run onto and slot the ball passed the advancing keeper for 2 - 1.

The game was turned on its head 10mins later when, having been badly tackled Fray reacted badly and retaliated leaving the ref no hesitation in sending him off. That was bad enough but inexplicably Mooney was sent off for petulantly throwing the ball at the referee in frustration. An idiotic display of indiscipline by Mooney.

The whole crowd could not believe what they were seeing. Holwell, having taken the initiative and on top winning now going down to nine men through abject stupidity.

It was left for the players on the field to defend what they had and to a man they put in what was an epic performance against a resurgent Lutterworth team who threw everything at Holwell. Wave after wave of attacks came at the home defence but they stood their ground and when the visitors got through they just could not get it past Holwell’s keeper Richard Cragg who brought off some fantastic saves to keep Holwell in front.

The crowd were on edge for the last full 45mins (including added on time) but the nine men left held on to get through the onslaught and see Holwell into the Semi Finals.