Holwell bow out with a whimper on last day!

Ellistown & Ibstock United FC 3 - 1 Holwell Sports FC

With Holwell having nothing to play for in their last game and
several first team players out due to suspension or unavailability, there was an air of disappointment on Saturday reflecting on a season that had promised so much during the club’s early season foray into the FA Vase had produced so little.

Ellistown were up for it as they tried in vain to reach the second spot in the league but Holwell failed to up their game and make this a decent competition.

Holwell started off ok and within a minute could have embarrassed a shaky Ellistown when keeper Taylor failed to hold onto a ball into the box. Scott Mooney pounced and won the ball back but both he and Chris Hibbitt had shots nervously cleared off the line by last ditch defending.

However Ellistown soon got into their stride and started to get control making inroads down Holwell’s right hand side with full back Bartle sending in some telling crosses that Holwell some how managed to deal with. But it was an attack down the left on 16mins that opened up Holwell and after Carl Benson got behind the Holwell back line he sent in a low cross to Tendi Chitiza who easily turned and shot to put the home side ahead.

Holwell had to weather a storm for the next half an hour as the home side turned the screw but credit to them and the reactions of keeper Cragg they did well to survive the rest of the half to keep the score at one nil to the home side. HT 1-0

With the score from Stapenhill the other team vying for second spot being relayed to the home side, Ellsitown & Ibstock would need to win this game and hope Stapenhill were beaten at home. If Holwell wanted to get back into this game they needed a quick goal to turn the tables.

It was not to be as the home side went straight down the park from the kick off and scored putting Holwell two nil down.

Chitiza won the ball on the right and sent in a low cross. With Holwell defenders running back at goal full back Cameron Laywood was on hand to calmly turn the ball into the Holwell net.

Holwell stuck at it but were second best on fifty-fifty balls with clearances coming straight back at the defence putting them under pressure. But on the hour Holwell managed to conjure up an opening as Tom Barnard and Michael Stevenson exchanged passes, Stevenson sent a ball over the top for Scott Mooney to run onto and this time Mooney crashed in a fine shot to beat keeper Taylor all ends up. That goal bringing Mooney’s tally for the season up to 29 goals in 35 league games added to 6 cup goals for the season.

However, the game was put to bed by Ellistown & Ibstock on 65mins after Holwell were caught yet again on the break by attackers as the ball was sent out wide to Chitiza again he held the ball up before cutting inside and sending a pin point pass to Ben Harris who finished Holwell off as he slotted home.

Having brought the curtain down on what could be described as a fairly good season, the highlight being, reaching the third round proper of the FA Vase. Holwell will need to reflect on early season form and try to replicate the back end of the season form of one league loss in eleven matches. Having lost seven home games this season (8 last season) this is an area where they must improve upon if they are to really progress into the top half of the league.