Town finish with a draw

Third played fourth at East Park Farm and it was the visitors who got the point they needed to finish above Town despite a frantic end to a match that saw nine minutes of stoppage time added in the second half.

The opening half hour saw Holyport the more lively side as they kept possession well and looked dangerous both in open play and from corner kicks, as was to be expected from a team who are the league’s leading goal scorers.

Jamie Hanscombe gave Holyport the lead their play deserved when he was allowed to run at Town’s defence and fire a low shot form the edge of the penalty area to the right of Oneal Garnes.

Apart from this set back Town’s defence once again stood firm, and in Warren Baxter had the man of the match, and gradually the home team were able to force Holyport to play deeper for the final quarter of an hour of the half as pressure was exerted.

Dan Jewell and Carl Davies combined on thirty five minutes but the play came to nothing while Craig Hiscock’s back ward header from Sam Cripps was scrambled to safety in the Holyport penalty area.

Dan Rapley beat Town’s off side on forty minutes only to be denied in a one on one by Garnes before Cripps’ driving run down the right flank found Davies who was bundled off the ball for the referee to award a penalty on forty two minutes, which the front man converted for his twenty second goal of the season.

Before the half ended there was still time for Luke Williams to fire over Matt Collis’ cross bar.

Whereas Town has spent the first half on the back foot, the second half saw them exert much pressure on Holyport with an improved passing game, helped by the introduction of Nick Edwards and Chris Hatton, played at pace and on more than one occasion Collis was needed to deny Town the lead.

It was against the run of play that Lewis Driver was allowed to restore Holyport’s lead on seventy three minutes however, Town’s second half efforts were rewarded three minutes from the end of normal time when a leaping Paul Wilder headed a long ball cross past Collis. This set up the frantic period of stoppage time with both teams attacking at will but unable to find the winning goal.

Town’s debut season in the Hellenic Division One East comes to an end and fourth place is a magnificent achievement and one that can be built on for next season.

Garnes, Jewell (Wilder), Belcher (Edwards), Baxter, Nightingale, Hiscock, Cripps (Hatton), Thomas, Fairchild, Davies, L Williams, Subs Not Used: Varndell, Smith