Plucky Holwell miss out in Build Base FA Vase.

Holwell Sports FC 0 – 2 AFC Mansfield

Though current form would not have suggested any difference to this result this was a much better performance from Holwell than of late but the greater determination and will to win by their higher league opponents came through in the end as AFC Mansfield upped their game to save embarrassment.

Holwell started this game brightly enough AFC Mansfield looked the lesser team for much of the first half as Holwell were able to move the ball about well with Michael Stevenson again running the show in midfield along with Chris Hibbitt who supplied the bite to disrupt and upset the visitor’s play makers.

Mansfield were guilty of unforced errors all over the pitch as their interplay was sloppy easily handled by the Holwell centre back pairing of Bitmead and Woodcock.

The first goal opportunity fell to Chris Hibbitt on 18mins as a long ball out of defence by Woodcock was poorly defended by Mansfield’s Captain Chris Timons. Graham Wells took up the ball as it fell to him on the left edge of the box. He then controlled the ball and laid it back well for Hibbitt who did not get over the ball and shot high over the bar.

This started a period of intense pressure by Holwell and four minutes later the home side were unlucky not to profit from three corners in a row as Mansfield were clearly rocking.

Holwell were winning the ball well in midfield sending Chapman and Harris into channels on both sides of the park but the final ball into Wells and Hammond up front was just not telling enough as the stronger defenders of Mansfield.

Mansfield were trying to channel balls through the wingers with Chaigem on the left seeing plenty of ball but Kieran Foster had the better of him.

Holwell were back on the attack as the half came to a close and exerted more pressure on the visitors I the final minute as Foster and Woodcock fashioned a move resulting in a ball over the top for Hammond to run onto. He managed to free himself from Timons but his shot was just wide of the target.

Holwell did not want the half to end as they kept up the pressure for the opener with Mansfield not actually having a shot on target all first half.

Watching Holwell start a game or a second half is like watching Lewis Hamilton start a grand prix from pole mostly he is ok but occasionally disastrous and again Holwell let themselves down by conceding two minutes into the second half.

Wells was penalised for an innocuous challenge on Timons in the visitors half. Keeper White took the long kick and as the ball came into the box no Holwell player defended the ball as it made its way over the defence to the goal line where Jake Nicholson stole in to prod the ball home for the first goal.

A real relief to the visitors and frustration for the home fans.

Chaigem had been replaced at half time due to a calf strain replaced by Naylor and this changed the way Mansfield played in the second half there seemed a freedom of not having to please or supply Chaigem to break down Holwell.

Holwell’s heads had dropped playing deeper, relying on a long ball out of defence however that just seemed to come back at them with a vengeance increasing the pressure on the defence.

Mansfield were in the ascendancy now and centre forward Karkach got a shot away on the hour as Holwell began to struggle. Mansfield’s centre midfield player Jon D’Laryga was now stopping Holwell in midfield allowing the visitors to press on for a second which nearly came on 63mins as centre half Plummer connected with a corner only to see his effort go just wide.

However the game was won on 65mins under some controversy. Hibbitt was clearly fouled midway into the Holwell half on the right but the referee allowed play to continue. The ball was played out to substitute Naylor who sent in a low centre to Gary Bradshaw and from 25 yards he hit an unstoppable shot which rose to the top left corner of Witham’s goal which he had no chance of saving. This was a goal everyone in the ground applauded but unfortunately did for Holwell who saw out the remainder of the game well but with no real threat up front.

Holwell :- Witham, Foster, Chiavetta, Bitmead, Woodcock, Harris, Stevenson, Hibbitt, Chapman(Tinsley), Hammond, Wells. Subs not Used :- Fontoura, Cropper, Hazeldine, Williams.