Holt pay the penalty

ON Saturday, Holt are at home to Southwold in a friendly and resume the league programme for the final two rounds of matches on April 12. Despite defeat at Ely, Holt are still fifth in the table and they need at least another win or a draw to stay there.

ON Saturday, Holt are at home to Southwold in a friendly and resume the league programme for the final two rounds of matches on April 12.

Despite defeat at Ely, Holt are still fifth in the table and they need at least another win or a draw to stay there.

Ely 19, Holt 12

HOLT travelled to bottom club Ely, having won the first encounter in September.

Holt played with the elements from the start, looking to build a comfortable lead by half-time.

But Ely, winless at home, had a penalty award within the first minute which narrowly missed, and from the ensuing play almost scored in the corner, denied by a good cover tackle.

Although the windy conditions made handling difficult, Holt were playing like an express train with most of their possession being squandered through careless passing and ensuing knock-ons.

Ely opened the scoring after Holt were penalised for a line-out offence after 23 minutes. Holt lost their second row forward Hillier with a bad cut over his eye.

However, Holt got themselves back into the game with an excellent driving maul for at least 20 metres for Jake Van Poortvliet to score (unconverted).

From a charged-down kick Ely surged upfield and with the ball passing through several pairs of hands scored a try in the corner through their stand-off, who was a thorn in Holt's side throughout.

Second half Ely began to show how to use the elements to keep Holt pinned into their own half.

Holt were equal to catching the high floating kicks and were able to win a line-out from a penalty close to the Ely line and with another well-executed maul drove over the goal line for Cherry to score (converted Allen) to lead 12-10.

Holt needed to concentrate on keeping possession but conceded penalties at an alarming rate. With the wind behind him, Ely's stand-off made the most of his opportunities.

Although his first long-range effort hit the post, he made no mistake three minutes later with another long-range effort to give his side a 13-12 lead.

Good Holt passing got them close to the goal line, only to lose the initiative by conceding another penalty.

After 75 minutes Ely again were awarded a kickable penalty for16-12. Holt threw all they could at Ely but were again penalised in the dying moments and conceded the fourth penalty to be kicked.

Because their discipline went out of the window, Holt gave away at least 20 penalties.

Ely did not threatened Holt's line other than to kick the penalties to win the game.