Visitors robbed of victory by stuck at it Holwell!

Holwell opened their league campaign with a home fixture against a strongly fancied Gedling Miners Welfare FC made up of most of last year’s West Bridgford league winning squad.

As normal Holwell on an opening day are devoid of experienced first team regulars who seem to revel on taking their summer vacation particularly at this point.

The team took to the field without Hibbitt, Foster, Stevenson, Hammond and keeper Witham who seems to have given up the fight before it started subject to a seven day notice of transfer to Melton Town.

The match started in dramatic fashion as Holwell pressed from the kick off, the ball being fed back to Chapman at left back who sent a good ball down the channel which was hoofed out the park by Gedling’s Holt. From the throw in Holwell won a corner which Page touched on and Ian Bitmead opened the scoring, one nil two minutes gone.

Shocked into reality Gedling went straight on the rampage and equalised though Ex Holwell player Ryan Plummer two minutes later.
The first half was scrappy with Gedling by far having the upper hand but Holwell defended well and the Gedling forwards missed chance after chance.

New players in the Holwell ranks moving up to this level seemed to be struggling against the more fancied Gedling whose tactic seemed merely to employ the very high, very long ball move relying on Plummer, Jepson and Clarson to run in behind the defence.

It seemed inevitable that Gedling might run away with the game but credit to Holwell, changes made at half time with Randall and Reek coming on for Murray and Bloxham. Moving Bitmead to midfield and Randall at right back seemed to help stem the flow from Gedling.

However Holwell were caught out on 62mins as Jepson capitalised on a defensive error allowing him to score from close range to put the visitors back in front.

Rather than capitulate though Holwell themselves dug in and Gedling’s opportunities seemed to dry up with a feeling that if Holwell could dig further they might just nick this?

Page and Tinsley were trying their best up front Underwood and Bitmead were disruptive in midfield and Ridout and Woodcock were now getting to grips with the Gedling front line.

Unfortunately Kyle Reek who came on at half time had to leave the pitch through injury and the bustling form of Tom Harris entered the fray which meant more for Gedling to think about.

As the game wore on Holwell were very much in with a chance with Bitmead and Underwood seeing goal line clearances.

However it was captain Ridout who saved the day on 83mins as he hit an unstoppable shot from the edge of the eighteen yard in off the cross bar as the ball was cleared out to him from a corner.

No more than Holwell deserved on their second half performance, showing grit and determination to get back into the match and salvage a point.

Gedling trooped away with a feeling of injustice having dropped two points but rued the number of glaring chances missed by their forwards.

Holwell are away to Ashby Ivanhoe next Saturday and Home to Anstey Nomads Tuesday 15th August kick off 7.45pm.

Holwell: Cragg, Ridout, Bitmead, Woodcock, Chapman, Underwood, Murray (Reek( Harris)), Bloxham ( Randall), Tinsley, Page, Hazeldine.