Ellistown lit up by Holwell Fireworks!

Ellistown 2 Holwell 5

There were certainly plenty fizzes, bangs oohs and aahhs in this match as Holwell comprehensively set about lighting this match up with some great attacking play coming from two down to win this match at a canter.
Having had a rocket up them in one minute thirty four seconds when Alex Bolt put Ellistown in front Holwell did well to put that behind them and set about gaining control and to their credit did look the better side using the flanks well and soon seemed inn control but a Fizzer from Sam Hawkins on 17mins from all of 25yds screamed into the back of the Holwell net to put the visitors further behind.

However it was still Holwell that were playing the better of the two with some good teamwork to get back into the game and it paid off within two minutes when Chris Hibbitt got the visitors back into the game with a shot from the edge of the box beating keeper Madeley low down. It was fully deserved as Holwell set about redressing the deficit.

With Foster, Stevenson and Smedley working well on the right Holwell were continually feeding the forwards with good crosses and Mooney nearly equalised on 22mins with a ball swung in by Smedley.

The momentum continued with Ellistown not having an answer to the slick interplay from Holwell and a great break away from the edge of their own box saw Holwell progress up the field with two passes from Rose to Stevenson and on to Smedley who found Mooney with a peach of a pass inside the last defender who picked up the ball rounded the keeper and slotted into the empty net for the equaliser.

Smedley was having what could be his best performance of the season and was being fed out wide at every opportunity to get crosses in to Mooney and Kirkby, with Ellistown all over the place now it looked as though Holwell would go on and win this match comfortably.

Drawing more attention to himself, Smedley was bundled over in 36mins and from the resultant free kick Holwell took the lead when Foster sent over the cross for Rose to head down and Michael Stevenson poked the ball home for number 3.

With Cragg now virtually a spectator the only time he was called into action was on 41mins when another speculative shot by Ross Locker from a crowded box had to be parried away to safety.

However Holwell were not finished and another great move involving Smedley on the right saw another quality cross in to Scott Mooney who got the ball to Jay Kirkby to put Holwell further in front with number 4 on the stroke of half time.

Holwell brought on Bitmead for the injured Hibbitt at half time and with Ellistown having had the hair dryer treatment from their manager at half time they started the better, more aggressive looking to get about Holwell more.

That aggression boiled over on the hour when Alex Bolt frustrated at not getting the better of the Holwell defence, marshalled superbly by Tom Morgan yet again, lashed out at Stuart Rose off the ball and was sent packing with a Red Card. Rose eventually having to leave the field to be replaced by Ridout.

This left Ellistown with a mountain to climb but to their credit they did try to get back on terms and Cragg had to be lively on 65mins to tip a goal bound header from Eagling onto and over the bar.

The fireworks came to an end on 84mins when Ian Bitmead won the ball in midfield and passed to Mooney who set Smedley away again on the right and a quality cross to the back post was met on the full by Jay Kirkby for his second and Holwell’s fifth.

One of the best performances from Holwell in a few weeks lets hope this continues away at Greenwood Meadows next week.