Match Report Holyport FC

Uhlsport Hellenic Premier
Tuesday 25th October
Holyport 1 v 2 Henley Town
Half time: Holyport 1 v 0 Henley Town 
Holyport scorer: Dan Bailey (41)

After another good away performance on Saturday to Cheltenham Saracens, Holyport were hoping to take this in to their home form which has been a bit hit and miss of late.

Henley had come with a clear game plan of stopping Holyport playing by packing the midfield and getting all their players behind the ball.  This seemed to work during the first 10 minutes as Holyport struggle to find any rhythm to their play. 

The long ball to the Henley number 10 or their pacy number 7 was their game plan and on the 10th minute a free kick into the Holyport box was headed against the Holyport cross bar.  On 14 minutes a Henley corner was not cleared and Henley blazed over.

Holyport slowly came into the game and on 17 and 18 minutes Rapley and Coull nearly found the break through with good runs.  Handscomb then produced a great cross on 20 minutes that the keeper palmed away but the Henley defenders cleared the loose ball.

On 24 minutes a Sturgess corner was well met by Handscomb but his header fizzed narrowly wide, then on 28 minutes Bailey won the ball back and carried it out of defence and found Handscomb again, his shot went narrowly wide.

Henley’s best chance came on the 29th minute as a misplaced Holyport pass allowed him to get a run on the Port back four.  With only Carter to beat he decided to try and chip the Port keeper but dragged it well wide.

With Holyport growing into the game it came as no surprise when Dan Bailey scored his first goal for the club on 41 minutes.  A corner was not cleared and it fell to bailey to volley home.

The second half begun with Holyport on the front foot, on 47 Driver had a shot tipped onto the post, then on 53 Rapley shot over, on 55 Handscomb smashed a free kick which the keeper tipped on the crossbar.  Henley hit the bar from their own free kick on 58 minutes.

Henley were awarded a free kick in the 64th minute and the tall number 10 rose unmarked to head home and bring the scores level.

Holyport then lost their composure and were rushing balls forward in search of a winner.  Henley were happy to soak up the pressure and look to steal a winner on the break.  It was from this that Henley scored in the 83rd minute.  A long ball found the Henley 7 who was one on one with Carter and he passed the ball home to Henley’s delight.

Holyport did not give up and Coull had a header saved and Jerrum had a shot tipped over the bar.  In truth it was a disappointing display in which Holyport never got out of third gear and didn’t look after the ball well enough when they had it.

Carter, Ovens ©, Britnell, Rolfe, Bailey, Jeffries (Butler), Coull, Sturgess, Rapley (Jerrum), Driver, Handscomb.