Holwell Sports FA Carlsberg Vase - Olympic Win!

Radcliffe Olympic 2 – 3 Holwell Sports (AET)

Holwell came away from Radcliffe Olympic rejoicing after an epic tie and a stunning winner by Kieran Foster deep into extra time that sees them through to the second round proper of the FA Carlsberg Vase.
The match was a very close, tight affair which could have gone either way but in some way Holwell’s superior fitness seemed to show as the teams slugged it out in extra time.

Both teams were cagey at the start but Holwell had the first chance on 5mins when Mooney (pictured) shot at goal only to see the ball sail over the bar, but soon after Radcliffe broke with Liam Thompson who slid the ball too strong into winger Tomy Kemp when the chance for a shot himself looked a better bet.

Radcliffe were playing with their in form goal scorer Ryan Smith in a lone striker set up, trying to hit Holwell on the break with Tomy Kemp, Ryan Plummer and Liam Thompson running at the Holwell defence at speed. The visitors back four dealt with this threat all match really well and Smith was not given any opportunities to add to his goals tally.

On 15mins Burgess broke away down the right playing in Plummer who deftly chipped the ball across goal but Richard Cragg did well to keep out Kemps header.

Holwell had a great opportunity to take the lead on 20mins when Bitmead won the ball back at a Radcliffe throw, playing in Michael Stevenson who laid the ball off to Keast in a great position but he slipped as he took control and the chance was lost.

Mooney had another chance on 25mins as he was put through by a pin point pass over the top of the defenders but somehow he blazed his shot over the bar. Holwell were beginning to put real pressure on the home defence now and for a time the home defence looked ragged not keeping shape. As such on 26mins Holwell’s Kieran Foster found himself in space on the right but looked offside, as he closed in Yates in goal for Radcliffe did well to turn it round for a corner. Still complaining about Foster to the ref Holwell took the corner and Ian Bitmead powered home a header to put Holwell in front.

Radcliffe tried to get back at Holwell with Smith given his first chance as Stuart Rose failed to control the ball in defence but Dean Randall, who had a tremendous match at right back, was on hand to get the team out of trouble and clear the danger for a corner. Defender Mike Hartshorn got a head to the corner kick but missed - a let off for Holwell.

Radcliffe had now picked up and were beginning to force some pressure on the visitors back four and got back on terms with Holwell on 35mins when a ball cleared out of defence by Holwell was not won by Mooney up front, Radcliffe went on the attack and Plummer was set away on the right his low cross into the box eventually falling to Nelson Burgess who planted his shot in low at the left hand post past Richard Cragg. HT 1-1

Holwell started the better after the break and on 47mins had a chance when Stevenson and Foster combined to send in Mooney but the angle was too tight for an accurate shot. But it wasn’t long before Holwell were back in front on 50mins Keast won the ball on the left and with the outside of his boot sent in a peach of a pass cutting out two defenders to Scott Mooney who controlled the ball before sending in an unstoppable shot with his left foot beating keeper Yates from 20yards in the top right hand corner of the goal.

The elation was short lived though, Radcliffe got back into the game on 52mins as the visitors defence failed to deal with a cross into the box. As it dropped on the edge of the eighteen yard box Tomy Kemp volleyed a shot back in for the equaliser 2-2 a real cracking cup tie!

The rest of the second half was nip and tuck and nothing between the teams, extra time and even a replay looked on the cards as the game finished 2-2 after 90mins.

Holwell had brought on Ridout for Rose, Williams for the injured Wells at left back and early on lost Keast with a hamstring injury to be replaced by Liam Chapman.

Both teams slugged it out in the first half of extra time but Holwell looked the fresher of the two teams in the second half and with Liam Chapman now pressurising down the left wing - it was his great run and cross into the box on 114mins that Kieran Foster dived to meet, spectacularly heading Holwell’s winner taking them through to the next round on 16th November.