Holwell's Magnificent Seven!

Perhaps most encouraging for manager Simon Daws is he may at last have found Holwell an out-and-out goalscorer in Jay Kirkby who was involved in all seven goals. Radford’s defence could not cope with the physical presence and finishing of Kirkby whose four goals took his league tally for the season to nine from 13 starts.
The home side were on the front foot from the word go having an effort cleared off the line and forcing a save from keeper Murphy before Kirkby gave them a seventh-minute lead, hooking in Stan Wallis’ cross.
ust minutes later Kirkby couldn’t believe his luck when he was left unmarked in front of goal to head in Graham Keast’s excellent flighted free kick. More soft defending allowed Kirkby to complete a stunning 14-minute hat-trick, his confident finish once again leaving Murphy helpless.
Holwell were creating chances at will, with Keast finding acres of space to run at a beleaguered back four, but they took their foot off the gas and Radford should have taken advantage at least once from a succession of corners.
Holwell keeper Brown made a good block to deny Jackson’s powerful shot, while Mahl somehow headed over Harrison’s inswinging corner virtually from underneath the bar. Another shot hit a Holwell head on the goal-line and rebounded up onto the bar and into Brown’s arms, Radford believing the effort had crossed the line.
But the half ended as it had started when Michael Stevenson broke up a move in midfield and his simple pass left to Kirkby to run at Harrison who could only pull back the striker. Dominic Hallows sidefooted the penalty into the bottom left corner.
Holwell remained positive after half-time and twice Smedley found himself one-on-one with Murphy, but the keeper came out on top. But after 70 minutes Kirkby’s quick thinking made it 5-0, catching the keeper unawares and off his line with a drilled, precise finish from 30 yards.
Three minutes later Smedley finally got his goal when Keast’s intelligent pass set Kirkby away once again down the middle. Shrugging off his marker, Kirkby squared the ball to Smedley who took his time and picked his spot.
Radford deserved at least a consolation, but Jackson shot wide after another Harrison corner found its way to him unmarked inside the 18-yard box.
But Holwell completed their biggest win in more than 18 months a minute from time and Kirkby again had a hand in it. Set away again with a simple ball through the middle Kirkby drew two defenders before squaring the ball into space for wing-back Kieran Foster to deliver a firm finish past the keeper’s right.
Man-of-the-match, sponsored by Roger Hodson, was Jay Kirkby.
Holwell: A. Brown, K. Foster, S. Wallis (R. Plummer 67), A. Snelgrove, I. Bitmead, D. Hallows, B. Smedley (L. Fray 75), F. Stannard (A. Teare 75), J. Kirkby, M. Stevenson, G. Keast.