HSFC march on in Carlsberg FA Vase!

The Carlsberg FA Vase Holwell Sports 3 - 0 Thurnby Nirvana

Thurnby came to Welby Road with a strong team having won six out of eight league matches but in doing so had shown that their defence was their weak point having conceded thirteen goals. Holwell’s manager Simon Daws made sure that his players exploited that to the full.

Holwell started with intent bustling the midfield and getting the ball forward to Mooney and Bettinson up front as quickly as possible with Chapman and Foster in support on the flanks. It began to happen for the home side quickly and on 5mins Mooney had a turn and shot blocked. This good early pressure counted on 13mins when Sam Bettinson (pictured)scored with a diving header after a low cross from the left.

Holwell, were buzzing imposing themselves in midfield with Graham Keast back after injury and stopping the final ball getting through to the Nirvana forwards. Nirvana tried to get their midfield working but it just didn’t seem to be happening for them.

Holwell went through a period of forcing several corners and though nothing came of them the home defence quickly snuffed out any break away attacks with Ridout, Rose and Williams at the back coping well.

On 26mins Williams broke up a promising attack by the visitors near the half way line, to set up Hibbit who moved the ball out to Foster to run on to – only a desperate tackle by Shaun Day broke up the move another corner to Holwell.

Holwell were creating the better chances and were well worth their lead. Keast had a great shot well saved on 32mins. Mooney and Bettinson were showing that their partnership up front is blossoming with great interplay and intelligent holding up of the ball pressurising the visitors defence, and on 37 mins Holwell went two up when Kieran Foster stole in at the front post to guide a glancing header past keeper Flinders.

The home side deserved to go in at half time two up – did Thurnby have what it takes to get back into this game? HT 2-0

The visitors looked as though they had been given a roasting at half time and for a time tried to press onto the Holwell back line but Aaron Ridout marshalled the defence well and with Hibbitt showing great strength in midfield Holwell were coping with anything that Thurnby had to offer. The early part of the half was a bit frenetic as both sides tried to gain control of the match.

Thurnby had upped their game injecting some pace by bringing on the diminutive, but very tricky Reece Morris in place of Highman who had looked one of Thurnby’s better players. Thurnby had two or three chances to get back in the game but stalwart defending and a point blank save from Richard Cragg from Luiey Finney Nickels denied any real comeback.

The tactic of getting the ball to the front players quickly relying on the tireless running of Scott Mooney and the physical presence of Sam Bettinson up front, again began to bring Holwell into the ascendancy. Dan Smith attempted to control a ball forward in the Thurnby defence but he was harshly adjudged to have handled the ball as it bobbled up from the surface and Holwell were awarded a free kick on the edge of the box on 67mins.

Keast and Mooney stood over the ball, Scott Mooney run over the ball and immediately left of the defensive wall, Keast fooled the wall into thinking he was going to shoot and slipped the ball to Mooney who controlled the ball perfectly before sending over a chipped cross which Sam Bettinson rose to, under some pressure from defenders, heading the ball back across the goal into the net. A well worked free kick to grace any football match!

Thurnby tried to get back on terms and it could have gone all wrong for Holwell on 70mins when referee Barker adjudged a clumsy tackle on Joel Potter by Tom Williams to have denied a scoring chance and sent Williams off!

Thurnby didn’t score from the free kick and it was panicky in the Holwell defence for a bit but Jamie McKay came on for Foster, his experience and calm saw Holwell through to the end, another great home win for Holwell Sports FC.