Long Running Winning Streak Ends!

ANSTEY NOMADS 2 HOLWELL SPORTS 1 Report by R Hodson

Anstey were quick out of the blocks, forcing Richard Cragg into a smart stop from a corner and took a sixth minute lead from a free kick in a central position, just outside the area, which Sam Surridge fired over Cragg’s hands.

Scott Mooney’s angled drive was hacked off the line, and at the other end Aaron Ridout’s last-ditch tackle, after the defence had been caught square, saved goal number two.

Minutes later Holwell were again unlucky not to score when Ian Bitmead’s towering header from a Kieran Foster corner was hacked off the line.

But Anstey still looked dangerous and Cragg was twice called upon to block strikes on goal.

Mooney made some good runs down the channels, but was often guilty of either blasting his shots at defenders or aiming for the near post when team-mates were better placed.

The hosts doubled their lead on 66 minutes from a throw-in when Levi Knight moved infield and picked his spot low inside the near post.
Levi Fray got Mooney away down the left, but again no end result before a rare mis-placed pass from Dom Hallows nearly cost Holwell a third goal, but Cragg fisted away the 40-yard piledriver.

Stuart Rose then turned provider, picking out Foster’s run with a cross-field pass, but his shot aacross the keper shaved the far post.
Holwell were handed a life-line when Sam Bettinson was fouled in a similar position to Anstey’s first goal, and Mooney scored with a low finish via a slight deflection.

Deep into stoppage time Jay Kirkby’s free kick just cleared the bar as Holwell suffered their first defeat of the year.
Holwell: R. Cragg, A. Ridout, D. Hallows, S. Rose, L. Fray, J. Simpson (L. Chapman), I. Bitmead, K. Foster, J. Kirkby, S. Mooney, S. Bettinson.