Winning ways return away to Anstey Nomads.

Anstey Nomads 0 – 3 Holwell Sports

With both teams nestling in the bottom half of the table either side knew of the cliché you need to beat the teams around you to ensure you don’t get dragged down further.

Holwell had to survive an early scare as Joe Hartopp latched on to a through ball which opened up the visitors defence but he just couldn’t control the ball and shot wide. Yet another early wake up call for a team that just doesn’t seem to learn from previous weeks.
The early encounters were poor with neither side controlling the ball to any advantage. Nomads seemed to want to moan about everything instead of concentrating on the game. Nomads had a chance to open the scoring on 10mins as Stacey Cooke was bundled over on the edge of the box. He got up took the free kick himself but shot straight at Holwell’s defensive wall and Norris cleared.

However it was Holwell that were showing greater endeavour and that was rewarded on 14mins as Mark Tinsley headed the visitors in front. In the lead up to the goal Reeves and Foster had combined well out of defence, as Reeves exchanged passes with Foster progressing up the wing he won a throw in. Tinsley was being overly checked by Preston who managed to head the ball out for a corner. Chapman took the corner which this time Tinsley got the better of Preston and his glanced header found the net to put Holwell in front.

Holwell were now in control of the play with Wells and Tinsley beginning to find good space up front. Williams was unlucky not to increase the lead as a corner on 18mins came out to him on the edge of the box his shot at goal just went over the bar.

Anstey were not completely out of it with Taylor up front trying to break down the solid Bitmead and Norris partnership at the heart of Holwell’s defence but it was full back Simon Richmond that brought the home fans to their feet when after a poor corner conceded by Holwell the ball was cleared out to him. He was unlucky to see his 20yard shot crash back off the left hand post. It just was not happening for Nomads.

In the second half Holwell’s dominance continued with Foster seeing an early opportunity on 52mins saved by keeper Joyce.
However in the odd attack that Nomads had Taylor missed an opportunity on 55mins to equalise after Richmond had got beyond Cropper to send in a telling low cross.

The game was effectively won by Holwell two minutes later as Graham Wells managed to get free in the box before sliding the ball under keeper Joyce to extend Holwell’s lead.

Anstey tried to get back into the game but Stevenson and Williams were in complete control of the midfield limiting progress but on 63mins some pinball in the box saw Nick Reeves head the ball against the post followed in by centre half Russell who saw his goal bound effort cleared off the line by Joe Williams.

Holwell hit back as Tinsley found space to break away unlucky to see his shot just go over the bar.

Hartopp got the better of Cropper but selfishly shot over the bar as Nomads were becoming rash.

It was now Well’s turn to break through the home defence and keeper Joyce did well to get a finger to his shot and turn it away.

Holwell lost Foster to injury replaced by Fontoura and replaced Wells with Hazeldine after a great shift and finished the match off on 81mins as the spritely Reeves carried the ball out of defence and sent in a ball over the top of the home defence for Tinsley to run onto who beat the keeper with his shot on the run.

To keep the clean sheet Jamie Witham brought off another fantastic save on 87mins as Taylor got his one and only real chance of the afternoon.

Throughout all of the first and most of the second half the outstanding player on the pitch was by far captain for the day Michael Stevenson, winning the ball in midfield, beating players with consummate ease, quicker thinking and even quicker feet he outshone all around him. There were also strong performances from new boy Tom Williams, calm and controlled whilst Morris had a strong game completely dominating Nomad’s Captain Daz Taylor, limiting his scoring chances to one, whilst up front the tireless running of Tinsley and Wells ensured the home defence could not build from the back.

Holwell:- Witham, Reeves, Cropper(Woodcock), Norris, Bitmead, Foster(Fontoura), Stevenson, Williams, Chapman, Tinsley, Wells(Hazeldine).
Sub Not Used, Bridger.