Match Report Holyport FC

The Hellenic League Supplementary Cup
Saturday 26th November 2011
Holyport 2 v 0 Abingdon Town
Holyport: Ben Sturgess & Stuart Butler

Holyport continued their recent recovery with a well earned win and put in a workman like performance against Abingdon Town in The Hellenic League Supplementary Cup.  Abingdon started the better side and were content on trying to pass the ball around and then look for the pace of their forward with their final pass, but with a strong wind the balls were constantly over played, a repetitive theme for them in the first half.

The first chance of the game fell to Jamie Wright on 8 minutes as Sturgess clipped the ball over the Abingdon back four and Wright beat the on rushing keeper to clip it goal bound.  The Abingdon defender managed to get back and head it out for a corner.  Holyport continued to look dangerous as they started to get a foot hold into the game and Coull shot wide after a Butler lay off on 12 minutes.

The Abbots best chance came on 22 minutes as a cross came back into the Port box and the Abingdon forward put an overhead kick wide.  The rest of the half belonged to Holyport as Butler had a well stuck shot saved on 29 minutes.  Sturgess then had a goal disallowed, his cross went straight in but Coull’s challenge on the keeper was deemed a foul and the goal not given.  It only took another 3 minutes for Sturgess to do the exact same thing, a cross went straight in as the keeper thought Jamie Wright was going to head it in the opposite direction. 

Holyport deservedly took their lead into half time.

The second half was more open as both sides played better football and looked for goals.  The first chance fell to Abingdon as a knock down from a corner fell to the Abingdon player 6 yards out, and he blasted over.  This would be The Abbots best chance of the game. 

On 53 minutes Wright found Deverall who broke clear and hit an early volley which the keeper palmed wide for a corner.  On 55 minutes Wirght turned his man but his curling effort was easily saved.   Abingdon broke on the counter attack from this shot and headed over.

Holyport then nearly gave Abingdon the chance they had been looking for, a Port pass found the Abingdon forward and with only Carter to beat he shot early but Carter saved well and pushed it out for a corner.

Man of the match Heywood who had a solid game at the back also had a large part to play in Ports second goal.  Collecting the ball on the half way line he beat two men before releasing Wright who cut back for Butler.  Butler drilled a left foot effort straight into the bottom corner and gave Port a 2-0 lead.

Holyport continued to look for the third goal as Abingdon lost their desire and Wright had a volley tipped over and Ackerman a shot saved.

Carter, Sturgess, Britnell, Rolfe, Heywood, Jerrum (Ackerman), Deverall, Riddell, Coull, Butler, Wright

MOM - Tristan Heywood