Thurston 36, Holt 29Having lost their previous three matches, Holt were looking to arrest this trend and complete the double over their hosts.Holt started well and from the early exchanges, Child appeared to have scored in the corner, but he was adjudged to have put a foot in touch.

Thurston 36, Holt 29

Having lost their previous three matches, Holt were looking to arrest this trend and complete the double over their hosts.

Holt started well and from the early exchanges, Child appeared to have scored in the corner, but he was adjudged to have put a foot in touch.

Holt did not maintain the early pressure and Thurston's centre sliced through their defence to score under the posts (converted).

Holt were 7-0 down after seven minutes, but responded immediately when Jones caught a clearing kick and from at least 40 yards dropped an extremely well-taken goal for 7-3 after nine minutes.

This really ended Holt's time in their opponent's half for the remainder of the first period, with Thurston raising their game to put Holt under continual pressure.

Holt lost Hillier with a dislocated collar bone. The deficit was increased after 15 minutes when a home side prop scored a try, which was converted for 14-7. Ten minutes later Holt suffered another set back when, following a quickly-taken penalty, another try was conceded and with the conversion, they were 21-3 adrift.

More Thurston pressure ensued and it was of no surprise when after 27 minutes another try was leaked to make the score 26-3. Worse was to follow, when 10 minutes later, following a charged-down kick, another try was presented to the home side and with the conversion, the score had increased to 33-3.

Then just short of half-time Holt conceded a penalty to face a huge deficit of 36-3.

Thurston began the second half again on the attack; but this time Holt's defence held firm and they broke the stranglehold to spend the next 13 minutes attacking their opponent's goal line, but to of no avail.

Thurston again got back into Holt's half and they were helped by some indecisivness in defence, but fortunately for the visitors the score line against them was not increased.

Holt then cleared their lines and took the game back to their opponents and were rewarded with a try from a driving maul when Child got the touch down.

With Derbyshire adding the points it reduced the score line to 36-10 with 14 minutes remaining.

From the re-start Holt swept back into Thurston's half and Allen took the scoring pass and with the conversion a formality, the deficit stood at 36-17.

For the next 10 minutes Holt threw everything into their play and were again rewarded when Wright scored to reduce the margin to 36-22.

From the re-start Jones burst through to score and with Derbyshire adding the points, making the score line 36-29 with four minutes remaining.

Holt just could not get the necessary score to level the scores and reflected on the fact they had won the second half 26-0 and rued their first half.

Holt maintain their position of fourth in the table with a three-point margin over the side below them. But they have now lost four games on the trot against teams below them and now have a record of seven wins and seven losses.

On Saturday the visitors are Wisbech, who are still in with a chance to make the play-offs.

Holt 21, Dereham 6

HOLT entertained Dereham in the quarter-finals of the Woodforde's Norfolk Junior Cup and progressed to the semi-finals by scoring three goals to two penalties, after being 6-0 down.

They visit Swaffham in the semi-final due to be played on March 21.