Hollington United punish ill-disciplined Holland Sports

Despite travelling by coach and arriving in good time, to say the away side started slowly would be understatement and they duly found themselves a goal down the inside five minutes.

A deep cross swung in to the back post and was rammed in from close range despite Luke Caister almost pulling off a miracle to repel it.

Holland were fired up and hit the post after another wicked delivery into the box shortly after and the Lions looked like they were in for a long afternoon.

A series of crunching challenges and a lot of needle between the two sets of players only added another element to an already enthralling game.

The turning point came on the stroke of half-time as aggression turned to ill-discipline. Holland were reduced to 10 men after a petulant stamp on Andy Corrigan.

The Lions emerged for the second half a different team and within minutes should have drawn level. Rovu Boyers fired a sensational cross from left to right and Jay Tomlin, from essentially on the goal line, contrived to defy the laws of physics to put it over the bar.

Not one to lack in self belief Tomlin soon made amends after another perfect cross from Boyers was finished a la Mario Balotelli with a composed chested finish into an open net.

Tomlin, again at the heart of the action, was brought down unceremoniously in the box 10 minutes later and Dan Tewkesbury planted his penalty on a postage stamp into the top corner to turn the game on its head.

It was soon 3-1 after another fine Boyers delivery, this time from a corner, was headed back across goal by the skipper Jordan Harley for Dan Tewkesbury to turn in from close range with the instinct of a player with his eye on the leagues top scorer accolade.

The Lions were rampant at this point and as a heavy-legged Holland searched for a route back into the game they were left exposed at the other end. Had it not been for some fine goalkeeping the score line could have been even more flattering.

Manager Asher Grindle said: "We got the warm welcome we were expecting and whilst it took longer than I would have liked for us to wake up, we showed that we won’t be bullied or intimidated.

"The pitch was boggier than a nightclub toilet at 3am which made for some crunching tackles early doors but it also allowed our fitness to come to the fore in the latter stages.

"They could have had 12 on the pitch not 10 and we’d still have got a result playing the way we did in the second half.

"I’ve not got one iota of sympathy either to be honest. I’m all for a bit of rough and tumble but if you lose your head good teams will punish you and that’s exactly what we did.

"The manner of the victory made the Christmas do even livelier. We’ve got a couple of weeks to recharge and reflect now.

"I’d also like take this opportunity to wish everyone associated with the club past and present a merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous new year."