Holwell Surrender Lead

A Mooney penalty 15 minutes in to this game gave Holwell the lead, but unfortunately after 5 minutes the lead was surrended and that was about as it got as another disappointing league showing followed.

Blaby who have started the season in great form in both the League and Cup competitions seized control of this EMCL fixture after 20 minutes and never really looked like they were leaving without the 3 points.

Daws was forced into making changes to his line up from the weekend with Ridout, Hallam and Denigan all missing. In came Anderson, I.Wells and Wilding.

The game started in a competitive manner as both teams looked to seize the initiative it was Holwell who drew first blood when a penalty was awarded for a hand ball following a cross from Chapman. Mooney stepped up and sent the keeper the wrong way. Although the award of the penalty was the correct decision this appeared to be only decision the referee awarded Holwell as the majority of the decision for the rest of game went to the visitors.

Falling behind seemed to energize Blaby even further, and all off sudden all the 50/50s were being won by Blaby as they begun to dominate the game.

Not surprisingly Blaby were level after 20 minutes when an in swinging free kick from Hill was missed by everyone and curled into the far corner.

Further Blaby pressure followed and they took a deserved with 5 minutes of the first half remaining with Preston finishing well after being slipped through one on one with Cragg.

Holwell were given a chance right before half time as a mix up in the Blaby defence allowed Mooney to go through but his lob was tipped onto the post by the Blaby keeper, before being cleared.

Holwell emerged after half time and again struggled to get a foot hold in the game. With the Holwell forwards struggling to get hold of the ball, to allow the midfield to join in attacks, Blaby put Holwell under sustained pressure. It was in fact more of Blaby's own doing that the game was as close as was (according to the scoreline) until the 80th minute. Blaby failed to finish the match missing numerous chances by missing the target, and when hitting the target Cragg was doing his best to keep Holwell alive in the contest.

When the third goal came it did in disappointing circumstances. A big kick up field from the Blaby keeper wasn't dealt with by the Holwell defence and Preston latched onto the loose ball, rounded Cragg and passed the ball in to the empty net.

The fourth followed in the 90th minute in near enough identical circumstances this time Hirst finishing off.

A bitterly disappointing evening for everyone connected with Holwell and a performance that manager Daws made perfectly clear was not acceptable.

For long periods Holwell were physically dominated as well as being outplayed across the whole pitch.

Holwell travel to Stapenhill on Saturday still needing points to lift themselves up the league from the current lowly standing.

Holwell team; Cragg, Anderson (McKay 65 mins), Wilding, Rose, Barnard (Seward 80 mins), I.Wells, Hibbitt, Randall, Chapman, Mooney, G.Wells.
Subs not used; Smith, Calver, Young.