TIGERS: Holbeach now ‘public enemy number one’ – but loving life at the top
ON THE CHARGE: Mitch Griffiths (above) double helped Holbeach stay top of the pile - to the delight of boss John Chand (below). Photo (MIKE DAVISON): SG241112-250MD
HARBOROUGH TOWN 1 HOLBEACH UNITED 4: Buzzing John Chand lauded his Holbeach side as they reached the half-way stage in the UCL Premier Division season as league leaders.
The Tigers chief witnessed another imperious display on Saturday, as goals from Mitch Griffiths (2), Jonny Allen and Andrew Tidswell clinched a relatively routine success.
Only a red card for substitute Matt Warfield and a late deflected goal blotted the Holbeach copybook, as they stayed clear of Quorn on goal difference.
Delighted chief Chand admits his side will now be ‘public enemy number one’ in UCL circles, but admitted it feels great to be leading the table at this stage of the season.
He said: “We were top for a bit last season, but King’s Lynn and Long Buckby had games galore in hand. It feels different now. It’s very close at the top, but we’re top on merit.
“Plenty comes with being top, though. I’ve told the lads that we’re now public enemy number one and that everyone will want to beat us. We have to deal with that.
“We’ve won nothing yet, but our success so far is down to a great bunch of lads and top people behind the scenes. They let myself, Dean Elston and Phil Barnes get on with the football and it’s paying dividends.
“Saturday was a bit like a training match once we got ahead. Michael Emery had to save a penalty, but to be honest we were always in control of the game – even if the referee was diabolical.”
Hosts Harborough came into the game on a roll, having won three on the spin. But they were no match for the Tigers at Bowdens Park.
Griffiths got the ball rolling on 19 minutes, firing home after a cracking team move.
Keeper Emery pulled off a fine penalty save nine minutes later, before wideman Griffiths netted a crucial second moments before the break.
Versatile full back Allen effectively ended the match as a contest on 52 minutes when he rounded off another top teamgoal.
Holbeach weren’t finished as leading scorer Tidswell nodded home his 19th goal of the season from a Griffiths cross two minutes before the hour.
Both sides finished with ten men as Town’s Martin Callan and Holbeach’s Warfield both saw red, before Alex McMillan’s late consolation (85) rounded off the scoring.
Next up for the table-topping Tigers is a home date with Shepshed Dynamo on Saturday (3pm).
Tigers: Emery, Allen, Jackson, Toyne, Smith, Stevens (Brown), Griffiths, Hughes, Tidswell, Treacher (Jagroop), Parker (Warfield).
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Thursday 23 May 2013
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