Promotion set-back for Owls

Holt 0, St Andrews 1

IN their first home match for six weeks Holt United knew that three points were vital from their match with St Andrews, who they beat three weeks ago 2-1 in Norwich.

In front of a good-sized crowd under the lights manager Jim Blandford had a full-strength squad to pick from.

The visitors, who are the league's in-form side, started much the better of the two teams knocking the ball about with ease. Holt's players were well off the pace and were rarely in the visitors' half.

After going close on a couple of occasions the visitors went in front on 30 minutes when Huckle was brought down in the box. From the resulting penalty kick they scored, despite keeper Justyn Goff getting a hand to it.

The half ended with the home team perhaps fortunate to be only a goal down.

Whatever was said at the interval seemed to do the trick. Holt came out all guns blazing and their workrate up 100 per cent. They laid siege to the St Andrews goal.

Shots from Billy Edwards and Matthew Sanders flew just wide. The St Andrews keeper dropped the ball from a corner, from which after an almighty scramble was cleared off the line. From the next corner Kevin Moore's header came back of the post and was cleared. Soon after Moore broke clear but his shot took a deflection and went just wide for another corner.

All three subs Toby Blowers, Dan Pezocski and David Thompson were thrown on as the home team began to get more desperate.

In the dying moments, from their umpteenth corner, the ball fell to Jason Hawkins whose shot flew just over the bar. Despite battering the visitors Holt just could not find the back of the net, leaving a hard-working St Andrews side to travel home with all three points.

There is concern this is the end of Holt's promotion dreams. Everything at Holt United FC is geared for Premier Division football, and it is hoped this is achieved at the end of this season.