Holwell claim seventh league win in a row as run continues!

Match Report 2nd March Holwell 3 – 0 Radford FC

Having gained twenty one points since the start of 2013 and with some more fancied sides beginning to wane, Holwell now find themselves within two points off fifth place.

With Mooney still out suspended and Sam Bettinson failing a late fitness test with an ankle injury, Holwell reverted to the tried and tested front pairing of Kirkby and Bitmead.

Radford came out the blocks more assured and kept Holwell on their toes with Richard Cragg being well and truly tested within the first couple of minutes turning away a long range goal bound effort.

Holwell seemed to be giving Radford too much respect and play was edgy and unproductive and this was shown when Kirkby missed the chance to open the scoring on 13mins heading over from a Stevenson cross.

Holwell had recovered the initiative and on 24mins Kieran Foster scored the opener after some bad defending at a corner whipped in by Graham Keast. An untidy goal just like the match at this point and with the bright sun in everyone’s eyes it took some working out just who had scored.

Radford tried to get back into the game and some marauding by Bernando Alves was giving the back four something to think about, but as the half wore on the traffic was really one way and Holwell looked the more likely to score and on 43mins Foster again benefitted by poor defending at a Keast corner and put the home side two nil up. Indeed Foster should have had a hat trick by half time as he was sent clear by Keast but he missed the chance and Radford keeper Ryan Swift mopped up the chance. HT 2-0

Following some recent defections and discipline issues, Radford had come with a depleted team and it began to show in the second half as, with nothing going for them, their heads began to drop. This was welcomed by Holwell who started to play some confident football with Keast and Stevenson enjoying their freedom with some good midfield play bringing in Liam Chapman on the left which saw a great save by Swift in the Radford goal.

To give Radford credit their defence did well to keep the score low and their back four could hold their heads high at the end of the match.
Holwell left it late to finally put the game to bed when in added time Marshall was adjudged to have passed back to the keeper when he tackled Kirkby on the edge of the box, Swift having picked the ball up was penalised unfairly for picking the ball up.

As the wall was one yard from the goal line Smedley rolled the ball to Kirkby who scored through the smallest of gaps to put Holwell three nil up sending the home fans away happy with another win.