Bragging rights in local derby go to Holwell!

Barrow Town FC 2 – Holwell Sports FC 3

Second in the league and twenty four points in front of Holwell, Barrow were the team under pressure on two counts. One to do the double over Holwell and two to keep pace with leaders Basford at the top of the league, five points ahead of Barrow (who have a game in hand). To go eight points behind after today’s matches would leave Barrow with a hill to climb to win the league.

In front of the normal decent crowd for this fixture Holwell found themselves having to change at the back as Ridout was absent due to work commitments. Manager Daws went with Levi Fray partnering Rose at centre back both putting in a decent shift against a misfiring barrow attack.

Holwell did well to stem the initial pressure from Barrow and were holding their own with a couple of good chances to go ahead in the first eighteen minutes. Holwell seemed to be imposing themselves on the game but on 20mins Carl Adams broke free on the left making his way into the danger area before unleashing a shot from a very acute angle to beat keeper Cragg. Against the run of play but now Holwell needed to get back into the game.

Holwell had to make a change after 30mins when Hibbitt was injured in a dangerous clash going for the ball with Sam Buckingham. Buckingham was booked for the challenge, as Ian Bitmead was brought on to replace Hibbitt.

Holwell had regained the initiative and the front three of Mooney, Kirkby and Bettinson were beginning to click. Mooney was fouled on 32mins, Kirkby took the kick sending in a quality cross which Kieran Foster met with a well placed header beating keeper Nurse at the front post to bring Holwell level at 1-1.

The equaliser was just what Holwell deserved for their continued hard work and Barrow didn’t seem to have an answer and on 37 mins Holwell took the lead when Foster started a move involving Keast and Hallows who played in Sam Bettinson but Matt Nurse saved his goal bound shot only for Mooney to be on hand to slam in the rebound shocking the home crowd.

The second half saw Barrow try to chase the game but still they didn’t seem to be able to get on top of Holwell, dogged in their defending and dangerous as they attacked with the wind behind them.

Both sets of fans had become increasingly confused by the antics of the officials with some poor decisions going against both sides and one linesman on the dugout side seemingly wanting to ensure that everyone in the ground knew he had taken part continually raising his flag for minor offences, breaking the game up.

It was Holwell that came off the worse involving this linesman as Mooney was given a second yellow card and subsequent red card after an incident involving Sam Bettinson.

For the next fifteen to twenty minutes it was back to the wall stuff as Barrow first threw on Craig Noble then Ross Callum to inject some urgency into a poor Barrow team.

It didn’t take too long for success as Holwell, reeling from the pressure messed up in defence and when the ball hit Rose in the six yard box it fell to Carl Adams who stabbed the ball home on 67mins to bring Barrow level.

Holwell took the opportunity to replace Foster and Kirkby with Smedley and Simpson to give some fresh legs and they did well to survive what was being thrown at them, still breaking into attack when they could and after another last ditch foul by Barrow on the edge of the box Holwell took the lead again when Stevenson conjured up another of his quality free kicks beating Nurse at the left side of his goal on 82mins to the delight of the away fans.

A thoroughly deserved win by Holwell who went to the second placed team in the league and with ten men came away with one of the results of the season to keep this winning run going.

Next up strugglers Ansty Nomads away on Saturday.