Holwell labour to win but gain important confidence boost.

Holwell Sports 3 - 1 Graham St Prims

Holwell gained some much needed confidence on Saturday as they defeated Graham St Prims at home in the league.

A modest crowd were on hand to witness two teams having difficulties getting off the ground this season the Prims now having played five matches winning one and losing four, Holwell played four won one drawn one and lost two.

It was the visitors who showed first, Holwell survived a scare in the sixth minute as Lee sent in a cross which beat Cragg in goal only for the home side to sigh with relief as the ball skimmed along the front of the cross bar and cleared.

The first real chance though did fall to Holwell’s Hazeldine two minutes later as good work on the right saw a very clear chance for the opener with the ball laid off to Hazeldine, but leaning back as he took his shot, the resultant effort ended up high and wide.

Ian Bitmead was leading the line up front, he was unlucky with an acrobatic effort on nine minutes shooting over. Holwell were dominant at this stage when on 10mins Ryan Page was set free to run into the box, but Matthew Pearce brought him down to give the home side a penalty. Pearce was lucky not to see a red card as Page seemed to have outstripped the chasing defenders. Ryan Page took the kick easily sending it past keeper Chris Camm.

Holwell maintained the impetus again Bitmead won in the air on 18mins to head down to Brad Smith whose controlled pile driver from ten yards was equally well tipped over the bar by the diving Camm.

Holwell survived a free kick attempt on 25mins after Ridout brought down Kev Morron. Worger took the kick low through the wall at Cragg which he spilt but the ball came at Lee too quickly for him to control his shot and it went over the bar - a let off for the home side who were dominating the game but missing chances. Bitmead was giving the Prims defence all sorts of problems and on 34mins laid off a peach of a pass to Michael Stevenson who tried a volley, you would have bet that he would be the only one on the park that would make that shot but sadly it went by the left hand up right. Underwood thought he had extended the lead minutes later but only a last ditch finger-tip save by Camm took the ball away from the top corner of the goal.

Holwell had chances galore to kill off Prims in the latter part of the half but those all came home to haunt the home side as Prims lifted their game for the last ten minutes of the half and failing to clear from a corner the ball came back in at Cragg who weakly parried away only for the ball to go straight to Josh Lee at the back post who slammed it into the net to equalise on 43mins.

Holwell were back on it after the break with Page again profligate in front of goal as he failed with two one on ones with the keeper. The chances were coming it was getting it between the posts that was Holwell’s problem!

But Holwell persevered and Brad Smith, in his first game of the season put the visitors 2-1 ahead on 57mins when good work on the left saw the ball spread out to Smith centre right who sent an unstoppable shot past the keeper to settle any nerves.

No sooner had they gone in front but Foster put the home side in real danger conceding a poor free kick on the edge of the box. The free kick was cleared but only just, the ball sent back into the box where some pin ball action took place with Cragg having to be smart with two point blank saves.

Holwell were not endangered again and the fresh legs of Fontoura for Underwood and Shaun Smith for Page brought some life back into the game for the last ten minutes as they pressured the visitors defence.

Smith broke free in the last minute but was brought down in the box with Michael Stevenson converting the resultant penalty.

Holwell are away next Saturday but on Bank Holiday Monday are at home to local rivals Barrow Town KO 3pm.

Holwell: Cragg, Foster, Ridout, Underwood, Chapman, Hazeldine, Stevenson, Underwood (Fontoura),
B Smith(Andrews), Bitmead, Page(S Smith).