Teversal take no prisoners in quest for title but what a second half by Holwell!

Match Report 03/05/18 Holwell Sports 1 – 4 Teversal

Holwell were left wondering what if on Thursday as they faced a pumped up Teversal one of two teams bidding for the Premiership title this year.

Off to a disastrous start with two bizarre goals for the visitors in the opening fifteen minutes, this was compounded by another on 22mins and a fourth by half time.

Understandably with five Holwell first team regulars missing (not all can play five games in eight days) and second placed Teversal clearly up for the fight it was always going to be an uphill struggle for the home side.

However a tremendous second half display by Holwell left Teversal knowing that it was a good job they did the business in the first half as the home side were clearly on top for most of the second half with last ditch defending and a couple of questionable officials decisions the only way to keep the score as it was.

The match started with Teversal at fast pace and as early as the first minute Jordan Slack was allowed to get a shot away from the edge of the box which struck Cragg’s right hand upright.

The visitors maintained the early pressure, when the Holwell defence expected the ball to go out left of the goal but Fletcher chested the ball near the byeline and hooked the ball back in. The ball came back down off the cross bar where David Cockerill bundled it over the line in a melee of players to put Teversal in the lead.

As if that wasn’t bizarre enough, on 15mins Cockerill attempted to control and pass the ball from twenty yards out only for the ball to canon off Danny Fletcher, looping high over Richard Cragg and into the goal.

Deflated and wondering what was going on Holwell tried to get back into the game but were struggling under the onslaught from Teversal when on 22mins Jordan Slack picked up the ball to the right of the eighteen yard box and cut in. As defenders backed off he shot low to Cragg’s right and the ball ended up in the back of the net.

Holwell did well to get some composure in the remainder of the half and started to move the ball around better. However a mistake in defence on the turn of half time let Fletcher in for his second after a strong first half performance and the home side looked shell shocked as they went in at the break four nil down.

A different story after the break though as it was Holwell that came out fighting in an effort to get back into the game and salvage some pride, and it wasn’t long before they got one back as Shaun Smith shot from the edge of the box beating Teversal’s keeper Joshua Turton five minutes after the restart.

It was Smith again minutes later that nearly halved the deficit as he finished off a good move and final pass by Mark Cowling to be one on one close in on the keeper who pulled off a smart reflex save to fingertip the shot away for a corner.

Holwell were in the ascendency now after a tactical change seemed to see them pressing much higher up the park. Hazeldine was replaced by Ross Cragg, the former being pressed into play due to five regulars missing however suffering from illness.

Walker was moved to right back, Reek to left back allowing Chapman to bolster midfield and the home side started to play with more pace.
Evident as Reek combined on the left to pick the ball up on 79mins before outstripping defender Bacon to send in a good cross which Smith just failed to convert.

Teversal seemed to have completely run out of steam now after their first half exertions and were ragged. Holwell had the ball in the net on 80mins following another goal mouth scramble. The ball going in off a Teversal defender but Smith was adjudged to have impeded the keeper in the scramble. Over protection of the keeper maybe, who didn’t command his area strong enough?

All Holwell now as yet another top side were restricted to clearing the ball into outer space as the clock ticked down.

It was left to Holwell to finish strongly. On 88mins as Ambrose took a corner Bitmead allowed the ball to run through where Connor O’ Grady shot but keeper Turton managed to grasp the attempt.

A much better second half performance by Holwell with the home crowd pleased with the fight back, the early goals having made the task on the night just too much but fair play to Teversal they did their job early on and continue to fight for the title.

Holwell are away to Aylestone on Saturday, away to Anstey Nomads o Monday afternoon and finish their campaign at home on Wednesday evening to Arnold Town.

Holwell: Cragg, Hazeldine(R Cragg), Bitmead, Stevenson, Chapman, Reek, O’Grady, Ambrose, Walker, Cowling, S Smith.