Central Midlands Football League South Division
Kick off 2:00pm
Admission: £2.00
Attendance: I estimate around 40 or so
This fixture saw league leaders Selston entertain Holbrook
St. Michaels, who were next to bottom at kick off. It was the home team on the front foot as the
game began, and the first real chance came in just the fifth minute - Sean Gregory played in Dominic Airey who
picked out Kane Hempshall in the area, and although the winger connected well
enough, the visitors had enough defensive cover, and the effort was blocked.
Wayne Cooke was tripped on the edge of the box on 13, and a
free-kick duly awarded. Jamie Renshaw stepped up but fired well over the bar.
Tom Widdowson was played through on goal three minutes later, but although he
raced into the box before firing, his shot flew high, wide and not very
handsome…
Hempshall was upended in the box with 19 played, and BEN
MOORE coolly fired the ball past Gaz Young to give the home team the lead – a
lead that was thoroughly deserved. Holbrook had defended very well up to this
point, but were undone again two minutes later when they allowed a cross
to find TOM WIDDOWSON two yards from
goal, and the youngster wasn’t going to miss from there. Selston had chance after chance as their
visitors struggled to cope, Cooke, Moore and Hempshall had decent chances
either saved by Young or hacked away by the Saints defence.
Moore had a crack at goal from 25 yards in the 24th
minute, but again Young was alert and tipped the ball over for a corner. Renshaw found himself running in at goal on
the half hour mark, but it seemed the actual run had taken it out of the full
back, and his shot was a little tame, to say the least. Holbrook had a chance to pull a goal back on
37 when Grant Hackett committed a foul just inside the Selston box, and they
were awarded a penalty of their own. Unfortunately for the Saints, Matt Pierce’s
spot kick was well saved by Jake Ball in the home net.
Sean Gregory had a 20+ yard shot tipped over by Young in the
41st minute, but the visitors had the final attack of the half when
Jordan Butcher’s neat cross had to be hacked away from in front of goal by Rory
Davis. H-T 2-0
It was Holbrook who began the second half on the front foot
– and within 6 minutes of the restart had halved their deficit. It was all
hands to the pumps in the home back line as they tried desperately to clear
their lines, but one clearance fell straight to the feet of EMMANUEL FREEMAN and he gleefully drilled it
past Ball from 8 yards.
Emmanuel Freeman ready to pounce.....
With Selston struggling to cope with the revived away team,
it took a special goal from SEAN GREGORY on 57 to ease the home nerves.
Receiving the ball some 25 yards from goal, the no. 8 hit a sweet drive off the
outside of his boot that flew past Young before nestling in the corner of the
net. Great technique from Sean - a shot with pace and accuracy, and definitely
one for him to add to his scrap book.
With just over an hour played the game was effectively over
and the visitors’ revival ended. This time it was a corner from Moore that was
played to Cooke, and when his shot hit
the bar it left DANIEL HENSHAW with a close range header, which he duly despatched.
As the temperature dropped, both the camera and the notepad
were put away – and to be fair, not a lot happened during the final 25 minutes
or so. F-T 4-1
With Teversal Reserves defeating Linby, they leaped above
the Mikes who now lie 15th and bottom of the league.
Holding hands with the best friend.....