Holwell progress in Leicestershire Senior Cup

Leicestershire Senior Cup
Oakham United 0 – 2 Holwell Sports

Holwell gave a first team debut to Carrick Anderson in goal after several assured performances for the Development Squad and the youngster held his own with another good display.

Holwell were straight at their opponents from the start winning a free kick centre of pitch but the wall stood tall and blocked Bitmead’s shot.

Oakham let their neighbours know they were in a game though with some good early pressure but it was Holwell that had the ball in the back of the net first as Hazeldine netted after good work by Foster but the centre was offside.

Big shout for a penalty as Laithan Hammond was surely impeded and pulled back as he bore down on goal maybe if he had gone down instead of carrying on the ref may have given the penalty.

Oakham were finding it hard to compete in the middle with Stevenson and Hibbitt well in charge some Oakham players guilty of intimidation rather than having their mind on the game as Holwell were finding spaces on both flanks with Tom Harris and Kieran Foster seeing lots of the ball.

On the half hour Holwell were right in the mix as Hazeldine had not two but three stabs at scoring from close range but to no avail as Oakham scrambled the ball away.

Oakham broke out of defence and their forwards managed to get into range but Carrick Anderson was at full stretch to turn away Oakham’s only goal bound effort of the first half.

Holwell lost Cropper to injury on 38mins after a poor tackle by McDonald.

Tom Harris was sent through on 40mins after a good pass by Hazeldine but shot weakly at the keeper.

Just before half time Holwell had another shout for a penalty as Hammond was again brought down in the box but the referee waved away protests.

As the second half got underway, Tom Harris was beginning to torment the Oakham left back with exceptional running finding space using his pace to good effect but his finish was just not there as he broke in from the left defenders backed off but his shot again was at the keeper.

But Oakham could not be discounted and occasional break a ways were dangerous as one attack ended with a shot hitting the side netting.

There followed a concerted twenty minutes of pressure from Holwell as Oakham began to rock at the back. Wave after wave of passes into the channels for Harris and Foster to run onto were sure to bring a goal and so it did on 61mins. Foster had sent in a good centre but it was headed back out by the defence. Holwell’s Hammond did not give up on the loose ball saving it from going for a corner turning back beating a defender to lay on a sharp finish by David Hazeldine.

Oakham tried to get back into the game but Holwell’s defence was solid with Woodcock, Bitmead and Ridout soaking up anything the home side had. Holwell were swinging the ball left and right with Harris running amok by far one of his best performances for Holwell, a real man of the match performance.

Oakham’s only real attack in the second half on 75mins ended up with Anderson saving but as he did so a robust challenge by McDonald poleaxing the keeper when he had the ball ended with the sorry midfielder seeing red after a second yellow card.

Holwell managed the rest of the half well still attacking and iced the cake with Hammond scoring a second deep into time added on.

Holwell:- Anderson, Ridout, Cropper(Chiavetta), Bitmead, Woodcock, Foster, Hibbitt, Stevenson, Harris, Hazeldine(Tinsley) Hammond. Subs not used : Williams, Smith, Lowe