Things go from worse to desperate at Holwell after a shocking defeat.

Pressure is mounting and action needed soon to reverse this slump or the stark reality is that Premier League football will not be continuing at Welby Road next season.

Arnold Town FC 8 – 3 Holwell Sports FC

We can continue to sight the fact that senior players are not showing the total commitment to get the team out of this rut with return from injury taking longer than anticipated, work commitments seemingly increased and the dreaded weekend stag parties another issue.
What is left is a squad bereft of quality relying on a majority of players just not at the level for this league competition.

In a match which was always going to be a game of two halves due to the gale force wind blowing straight down the pitch, Holwell found themselves starting with the very strong wind at their backs, so had to take advantage of that in order to prepare for the second half.

Holwell were on top and seemed to be the better of the two sides going ahead on 9mins as a Mark Tinsley shot from outside the box took a nasty deflection off a defender, the ball looping high over the Arnold keeper to put Holwell in front.

Arnold could not deal with the wind with goal kicks hardly reaching the halfway line and clearances coming straight back at the defence.
Holwell continued to look in command as a good move involving Hazeldine and Tinsley set up Hartopp who shot just over.
Another chance fell to Hartopp on 25mins after good work by Kyle Reek but control was difficult.

Holwell continued to press for a second which came on 28mins when Randall took a long throw on the right. Tinsley touched the ball on to Sibson whose initial attempt was blocked but Joe Hartopp pounced to slot the ball behind the keeper for 2-0 to Holwell.

However Arnold were not completely out of this and were finding space to get at Holwell with Eugene Francis up front and James Greenhalgh and Danny Dixon winning ball in midfield. It was Greenhalgh who made the breakthrough for Arnold on 33mins as he was brought down by the inexperienced Rushton in the box. A poor penalty to give away as Francis easily slotted the ball past Lawrance.

Holwell restored their two goal advantage as Bitmead was fouled in the box on 41mins. A harsh penalty with Bitmead going down under little pressure.

When it looked as though Holwell may have set themselves up for the second half onslaught with a decent cushion they only needed to see out the half but no, they gave away another poor free kick on the edge of the box which Greenhalgh planted for Holwell to end the half with only a one goal advantage.

The second half started as predicted with the wind still very strong. You could question Holwell’s tactics as they insisted with their 4-3-3 set up instead of shoring up the midfield for these conditions.

Arnold had the upper hand now and were level within ten minutes of the restart as Eugene Francis did well to control turn and shoot to level the match.

Holwell had gone to pieces, and trying his luck from 30yds out Greenhalgh had a go on 62mins only for Holwell’s keeper Lawrance to allow the ball to go straight through him for Arnold to go in front 4-3.

The home side's fifth goal came only a minute later as substitute Alex Devey was set free on the left, as he made his way in on goal he placed a good shot wide of Lawrance and inside the keeper’s left hand post.

Holwell brought on Fontoura, Andrews and Black for Reek, Smith and Sibson but they could not change anything.

Arnold’s man of the match Eugene Francis got his well-deserved hat trick on 79mins as he bundled the ball over the line reacting quickest.

Corrigan scored on 84mins to rub salt into the wound and the “coup de grâce” came on 89mins as a ball in from Devey on the left glanced off Ian Bitmead and behind Lawrance to end the game with a dismal score 8-3 to Arnold.

Holwell are away to Lutterworth Athletic in the Jelson Senior Cup on Tuesday and at home to Kimberley Miners Welfare on Saturday

Holwell: Lawrance, Randall, Rushton, Bitmead, Hazeldine, Reek(Fontoura), Stevenson, B Smith(Andrews), Tinsley, Sibson(Black), Hartopp.