Midweek set back as Holwell lose away, to ten man Prims.

Graham Street Prims FC 2 -1 Holwell Sports FC

Holwell failed to make it four wins in a row on Wednesday as they lost away to Graham St Prims.

Things started well for the visitors as they looked good and in control for the first thirty minutes but just couldn’t convert any chances. Holwell had a few in this time not least from four free kicks and a host of corners which were squandered for one reason or another.

The closest Holwell came was in the twenty seventh minute when the Prims keeper Fretwell parried an Ambrose shot which fell to Ian Bitmead in the box but his goal bound shot was cleared off the line by a defender.

The missed chances came back to bite Holwell as on 32mins and against the run of play Prims moved up the left flank worked the ball into the box which Holwell failed to deal with and the loose ball fell to Ashley Griffiths who lashed a shot past Cragg in goal. The ball sat up for the midfielder and he couldn’t have hit a more sweet shot which left the Holwell keeper no chance.

Holwell could feel aggrieved to have gone in at the break one nil down having had such a large slice of the play in the first half.

The second half had hardly started when on 47mins, midfielder Griffiths was shown a second yellow card for yet another lunging tackle and subsequently a red card.

However this seemed to galvanise Prims, making them fight for every ball as they felt the sending off was unjustified.

Holwell tried to make their play wide to stretch Prims but bad decisions in the final third were costing as moves broke down. On 53mins Smith did well on the left to advance towards the home side’s goal but with players spare he took on one too many and the chance was lost.

The Prims players were digging in chasing everything as Sam Wright did well to clear off the line for Holwell on 55mins.

Holwell were running out of ideas and options as the half wore on whilst Prims became physical and cynical wasting time where they could as Holwell chased the game.

To his credit Prims centre forward Kevin Morrow had hustled and harried the Holwell centre backs in the second half closing down play roughing things up and he got his reward on 67mins when he outmuscled Bitmead to a ball over the top. As the ball fell to his feet he hit a shot high and to the left of Cragg to make the score two nil to the home side.

Holwell didn’t look as though they could return from this but battled on. They got one back on 79mins as Shaun Smith did well to win the ball on the left, show the full back a clean pair of heels sending a low cross into the box which Mark Cowling prodded home for two one.

However it was not to be as Holwell had allowed themselves to be bullied in the second half by a side that showed more desire to win the ball, bite in the tackle to win at all costs, leap frogging Holwell in the league as they went.

Holwell:- Cragg, Wright, Bitmead, Woodcock, Betteridge, Reek(B Smith),O’Grady, Stevenson, Ambrose(Cowling), Tinsley, S Smith,