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HOLT UNITED made the long trip to Suffolk to visit third placed Kirkley and Pakefield Reserves without skipper Kevin Moore, Colm McGilway and Josh Dixon. Matthew Sanders returned to his left midfield berth, Tom Graver started in centre midfield with Toby Blowers up front with veteran Jason Hawkins taking the captain’s armband. With a fresh wind blowing diagonally across the pitch slightly in favour of Holt in the first half it was the visitors who made all the early running. After ten minutes Holt’s first chance fell to Blowers who, after a good turn on the edge of the box, fired fractionally over. Five minutes later the same player saw a tremendous over head kick from twenty yards skim the bar. Fellow striker Billy Edwards then made a good run down the right followed by a good, hard, low cross which was narrowly put over his own bar by an inrushing defender. Holt kept up the pressure and a good effort from the fit again Sanders was well saved by Dave Attridge. Edwards then shot over after good work by Philip Durham and Attridge was called upon several more times before the half ended goalless. Because of the conditions the second half was more even but Holt still pushed on when they were able to. On the hour mark an excellent cross from Durham was headed narrowly wide by Edwards. Ten minutes later the home side had their clearest chance of the match but the goal was missed by several feet with a snatched shot. As the game came to its conclusion Holt’s David Thompson was sent off for his second caution for a handling infringement. With the game entering injury time Blowers’ shot was well saved by Attridge only for the ball to rebound to Blowers who, after waiting for defenders to commit themselves, cleverly laid the ball back to Durham who scored with a clinical finish. This single goal victory, in which Hawkins and Graver controlled midfield throughout, was well earned and sees Holt move into second place in the league behind leaders Watton on goal difference but with a game in hand.
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