TIGERS: Thompson guns down Wakes
BOURNE TOWN 0 HOLBEACH UTD 1 (Thompson 7)
MARK Thompson announced his return from injury in style with a stunning winner for the ten-man Tigers in this fiery derby on Tuesday night.
The experienced full-back, who has been sidelined for much of the last year, curled home an inch-perfect 25-yard free kick after just seven minutes at the Abbey Lawn.
Holbeach were made to sweat in the closing stages as Jonny Allen was sent off for two bookable offences, but they held on to wrap up a league double over their Lincolnshire rivals.
Tigers player/boss Shaun Keeble said: "I felt we should have been well clear at half-time, we created a host of good chances. We weren't at our best but did enough to get the job done.
"It's nice to extend our unbeaten run to three games and we'll look to kick on now.
"I was a little disappointed with Allen's red card though, the second yellow was never a booking."
It was evident from the kick-off that there was some feeling between the two sides, with plenty of tackles flying in.
Ex-Tiger Adam Jackson in particular came in for some rough treatment.
Holbeach could have been ahead inside the opening 60 seconds, but Pete Sutton's effort was deflected just wide.
They didn't have to wait long for the opener though, as Thompson - who completed his first 90 minutes since his latest return from injury - picked out the top corner via the underside of the crossbar.
It really should have been 2-0 moments later, but striker Cymon Lambe screwed horribly wide with the goal gaping, after Liam Nimmo had been denied by Wakes stopper Dan Jarman.
Nimmo himself missed a great chance on 20 minutes, but he failed to make contact with the ball after swivelling in the box.
After weathering the storm, Bourne blew a golden opportunity to level when former Holbeach favourite Ian Dunn blasted wide at the near post after a smart pass from the pacy Addie Staffieri.
Dunn, who was always a threat, also saw a header tipped onto the post by James Doughty on the stroke of half time.
Bourne probably had the better of the second half, with Staffieri wasting two gilt-edged chances.
First he blazed over after latching onto a poor back pass, before being denied by a brave Doughty block.
Allen's controversial red card left Holbeach with their backs to the wall in the closing stages, but sub Ben Crane really should have wrapped up the points in the dying seconds.
The striker raced clear after a Nathan Stainfield slip, but Jarman somehow kept out his side-footed effort.
The win moves Holbeach into the top ten of the UCL Premier Division.
Wakes: Jarman, Parr, O Smith, Stainfield, G Staffieri, Cartwright (Masters 61), A Staffieri, Lawrence (Gray 46), Dunn, Kirton, Jackson. Not used: McDonnell, Pascu, Day.
Tigers: Doughty, Thompson, Parker, Fairweather, Horsewood, Cook (Broom 57), Allen, J Sedlan, Lambe (Crane 80), Nimmo, Sutton. Not used: Keeble, Elston.
Matt Warfield, Alex Beck and Lewis Brooks will all miss Saturday's Carter's Park clash with big-spending St Neots Town (3pm).
Bossed by ex-pro Steve Lomas, the Saints are currently second in the standings.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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