Holwell do it the hard way to secure three points.

Holwell Sports 3 – 2 Radcliffe Olympic

This was Radcliffe Olympic’s chance to get back at Holwell after being beaten by Holwell in the FA Vase earlier in the season, but having not played a league game since 27th December would fitness and lack of game time be a factor in Holwell’s favour as they would be upbeat from winning the League cup quarter final on Wednesday of last week.

Holwell started brightly enough taking the game to Radcliffe to put the visitors under strain and within seven minutes it had paid off as Foster picked the ball up on the right from a throw in to Holwell and sent in a measured cross which Sam Bettinson got to having shaken off his marker to plant the ball beyond keeper Soal.

However it was short lived as Foster went from hero to zero on 10mins with a weak back pass to Cragg which Radcliffe’s Ryan Smith latched onto and easily beat the advancing Cragg to level the match.

What followed was a poor first half for Holwell where nothing seemed to be going right with bad passing, poor defending and finishing making the home supporters think why they had come out on such a bad day to watch this.

Mooney nearly extend the lead on 18mins but for a super save by Soal to turn the effort round the post but that was it as far as the home side were concerned, apart from Mooney skimming the bar on 33mins after good work by Keast.

Radcliffe had taken time to get going but by 20mins Holwell should have gone behind as Smith got beyond the defence again and should have scored but shot wide. However a minute later Tom Kemp scored with a good finish to put Radcliffe deservedly 2-1 up. HT 1-2

The game became stale in the second half as both teams found it difficult to play in the conditions and a pitch that was cutting up badly.

Graham Wells had a chance early on to level the game but his effort was weak as he tried to get the ball out of his feet.

Holwell started to get back into some form and moved the ball about better than in the first half and a fast attack by Keast down the right deserved better as his low cross fell to Mooney who shot wide again.
Radcliffe were beginning to falter now and referee Brunton was having to show yellow cards to defenders trying any way to stop Holwell and on 55mins Price was shown his second yellow card and subsequent red for continual fouling.

This gave Holwell an advantage but still Radcliff, were dangerous, and a volley by Ryan Smith was well saved by Richard Cragg on 58mins.
However the home side started to cause the visitors defence to panic and Winch gave away another corner on 67mins. Keast took the corner and as the keeper spilled the ball Chris Hibbitt was on hand to unceremoniously bundle the ball in for the equaliser.

Radcliffe did well to weather the football storm for the rest of the half as home fans thought Holwell would not make that final break through and it took until the 87th minute for the home side to get the winner when another corner from the right was sent into a packed box and Ian Bitmead reacted quickest to stab the ball home and win the points for Holwell.

Holwell are away at Sutton FC on Saturday weather permitting and it is hoped that by playing when many of their opponents are not may be an advantage as only two EMCL fixtures went ahead on Saturday.