Holt 7, Newmarket 23HOLT entertained Newmarket in a return league fixture, when the visitors had inflicted the heaviest league defeat on them so far this season at home.

Holt 7, Newmarket 23

HOLT entertained Newmarket in a return league fixture, when the visitors had inflicted the heaviest league defeat on them so far this season at home.

Holt would be looking to redress the situation and to stop their visitors achieving a double over them.

The day was cloudy, but dry, with little or no wind to speak of. The pitch had recovered well from the snow and frost.

The early exchanges were mainly between the twenty two metre lines of both halves, but Holt were making the early positive moves and capitalised on this when Child broke from a scrum to score a try after 14 minutes. With new signing Derbyshire adding the conversion, the home side had taken a 7-0 lead. Holt kept up their positive approach and were looking comfortable and keeping Newmarket away from their end of the pitch.

With half-time approaching it looked as though the lead of seven points would be maintained. But with two minutes remaining, the visitors mounted an attack and were rewarded with a penalty, which was kicked to reduce the score to 7-3.

Half-time arrived with no further scoring, but again Holt had leaked points close to the interval.

The second half began with a Newmarket player being sin binned, which appeared to stimulate their game and despite being one short, took the game to Holt and reduced the score to 7-6 with a penalty after nine minutes.

Holt then had a player sent to the sin bin. The scoreline remained the same for the next 16 minutes and although under pressure, Holt were riding out the storm quite well.

But unfortunately for them, following a clearing kick not finding touch, Newmarket ran the ball back and with some good inter passing, scored a converted try to gain the lead

7-13.

This was after 25 minutes and the visitors were not finished yet, when five minutes later they scored another converted try to increase the lead to 20-7.

Newmarket nearly added another try when indecision in gathering a loose ball on the halfway line, allowed the visitors to kick through and only a last-ditch tackle prevented a score.

However, Newmarket had not finished as their stand-off dropped a goal with five minutes remaining to make the game secure at 7-23.

Holt did for the last five minutes try to reduce the arrears, but it was not to be and Newmarket finished worthy winners of a well contested game 23-7.

Having won the first encounter 20-7, they had rubbed salt into Holt's wounds by scoring another three points in the return.

Holt again were left to reflect on what might have been had they been as fit as their opponents, who had the lasting power, whereas the hosts rather ran out of steam.

This defeat is Holt's fifth in the league, but it does not alter their position of fourth and they still have a five-point cushion over the side below them in the table.

This week Holt are away to Stowmarket, whom they beat earlier at home 26-22 in a game where they allowed them to come back at them.

Holt have the incentive of having won there last season and again there is the double to achieve.