Holwell leave it late but progress!

Buldbase FA Vase :- Clifton Allwhites FC 1 – 2 Holwell Sports FC AET

Photo - Chris Hibbitt gets Holwell off the mark on 21mins.

A more constructive start than late saw Holwell impose themselves on the Allwhites early with Hammond sniffing half a chance on 5mins which Clifton did well to clear.

Tinsley and Hammond up front were seeing plenty of the ball but Clifton had fielded a pretty experienced bunch of players for this tie in the hope they could progress at Holwell’s expense. However no matter how many times Holwell got the ball forward the chances being created were being spurned by the forwards.

It was still Holwell showing the greater intent and on 21mins this was rewarded as Chris Hibbitt opened the scoring from inside the box as Clifton failed to clear a corner. Hammond had pressurised the centre backs into not clearing the ball effectively and the ball fell to Hibbitt who despatched it passed Dobbie in goal.

Clifton tried to get back into the game but Holwell were pretty much in control and as the home side pressed Tinsley and Fontoura were finding space behind the defence. There were two great chances wasted by Holwell in the 34th and again 35th minutes as first Fontoura, left with a one on one with keeper Dobbie, froze and hit the ball straight at the keeper when there was time and acres of space to take a 49 bus round the keeper and score! Hammond was equally guilty a minute later when he had the chance to extend the lead but delayed and was tackled hard by a recovering defender. The result of the tackle saw Hammond leave the field injured with a broken nose minutes later to be replaced by the busy David Hazeldine.

Holwell maintained their grip on the match and at half time looked comfortable.

Allwhites came out ready for a fight in the second half and applied pressure from the off, Craig Anderson showing intent shooting from the edge of the box just skimming the Holwell bar. It was all Clifton early on but Holwell were not troubled creating another two chances on 50mins with full back Wells finding space to break into the box.

The home side were certainly trying to get back into the game but their finishing was worse than Holwell’s with most shots going high and wide of the target and most from outside the eighteen yard box.

Clifton were beginning to make some progress with attacks down the right flank with Combi Brown seeing a lot of the ball and on 70minutes the home side got some reward for their insistence as yet another high ball from the right to the back post found centre forward Steve O’Connell towering above Reeves to head the ball down and behind Witham for the equaliser.

Holwell heads seemed to go down and they found themselves under some pressure at this point with shots by O’Connell and Brown cleared off the line in quick succession. Clifton also had a big shout for a penalty as Ridout tackled Miller in the box after he had replaced the injured Brown.

But as the half wore on it was Holwell who come to the fore again as Clifton players were dropping with cramp all over the pitch and now hanging on for the draw.

Clifton lost their centre back and captain to injury with O’Connell moved back to cover. This gave Holwell some space and yet again at least three clear chances were spurned as Foster and Tinsley found themselves one on one with keeper Dobbie. However it has to be said Referee Laska must have been thinking about something else when Foster went round Dobbie on 85mins. The keeper made no attempt to get to the ball but put both hands on Foster at chest height to physically push him off the ball – stone wall penalty. Foster being booked for his appeals to the ref.

With the game now into extra time Clifton were struggling, with players going down all over the place with cramp it would suit them to go to a replay so Holwell needed to get the finish that so eluded them during the preceding ninety minutes. Chances fell to Hazeldine who skyed his shot on goal then Holwell had three corners in succession but failed to take advantage.

Clifton had one opportunity but again Hardy was guilty of shooting high and wide.

In the second half of extra time it still looked likely that Holwell would score but they were let off when full back Sam Craven had a chance for a shot at goal coming in from the left but he also shanked his shot wide. Clifton had succumbed to sending a long ball down field now trying to use the wind at their backs but they just could not control the ball – though Wells blocked a serious goal bound effort from Reid to keep Holwell in the match.

But it was Holwell that eventually prevailed when Foster got his head onto a Chapman cross in front of keeper Dobbie with four minutes of extra time left to put Holwell through. Just reward for a hard won contest.

In the final minute Holwell had Chris Hibbitt sent off for a second bookable offence.

Holwell :- Witham, Reeves, Wells, Bitmead, Ridout, Fontoura(Foster), Hibbitt, Stevenson, Chapman, Hammond(Hazeldine), Tinsley
Sub Not Used:- Morris