Match Report: Holwell Sports 1, Stapenhill 1

Jacques Briscoe was on target as Stapenhill, making their debut in the East Midlands Counties League, earned a deserved point against Holwell Sports at Welby Road.

Sam Bettinson levelled on the half hour for Howell, who finished last season in fifth place and provided a good test for the Swans.

The visitors were soon on the attack, with Rich Perry heading over from a Phil Weldon cross.

Then a wicked cross from Evan Cawley to the far post, just eluded the fast closing Matt Weightman.

Sports replied with Scott Mooney going clear but he was tackled as he shot and despite strong appeals for a penalty by the striker, referee Paul Wood remained unmoved.

The Swans continued to press, forcing five corners in quick succession, but these were well defended by Sports.

Tom Ellerton tried his luck with a speculative effort which flew well wide, but on 21 minutes the Swans took a deserved lead.

Lewis Campbell whipped the ball in form the left that reached Wheildon on the right of the box.

The striker promptly drove a low ball back into the six yard area and Briscoe reacted first to stretch out a leg and divert the ball into the bottom corner.

On the half hour though, Sports levelled.

A ball into the box fell to Mooney, who saw his scuffed shot ricochet back to Bettinson, who somehow got the ball through a crowded area just inside Ben Gough’s right hand post.

Sports had a good spell following their equaliser with Keast easing past Perry down right and after reaching the byline, the winger saw his low driven cross just missed by Liam Chapman at the far post.

At the other end, Campbell hit Sippits who, after a diagonal crossfield run, drove over.

Then, an increasingly frustrated Campbell went on his own run before he too fired over.

Gough saved a useful effort from Keast as the half ended.

After the break, Sports 
had an early chance when Bettinson chased down a routine ball forward, 
Gough saw the danger and raced out of goal and dived at the feet of the striker, who was forced wide, and – with the goal gaping – he hit the side netting.

The Swans responded well with a spell of sustained pressure ending with Danny Chatfield blazing over.

Then Sippits put Ellerton in on goal, but his cross-shot was blocked.

Weightman went even closer with a vicious goal bound effort which Cragg acrobatically kept out with a fine save.

Sports kept going and the swans were fortunate when Perry sliced the ball over his own bar as he attempted to clear a cross from foster.

On 69 minutes the Swans should have scored when Cawly swung in a low terrific cross from the left which found Billy Easton unmarked and unchallenged, eight yards out, but the midfielder headed over.

Mooney volleyed over as both sides went all out for the win.

The Swans nearly shot themselves in the foot with just 10 minutes left when an under-hit pass by Easton put Liam Mander in trouble, Michael Stevenson got the better of a seismic tackle on Mander and went clear, only to fire wide.

Four minutes from time, the Swans had another chance to take all three points.

A slick four-man move ended with Campbell picking out Easton, again unmarked in the box but the midfielder’s first touch took his wide and a grateful Cragg saved at his near post.

In injury time, a typical Sippits jinking run along the byline promised much but his low cross was booted clear.

Goals: Bettinson (Sports) 30, Briscoe (Swans) 21.

Holwell Sports: Cragg, Foster, Williams (Wells, 15) Ridout, S.Rose, Hibbitt, Keast, Bettinson, Mooney, (Tinsley, 84) Stevenson, (Bitmead, 80) Chapman Subs not used: Cowling, Randall

Stapenhill: Goush, Furniss, Cawley, Perry, Chatfield, (Mander, 78) Ellerton, Sippits, Briscoe, (Easton 57), Wheldon, (Rose, 84) Weightman, Campbell.

Swans Star Man: Lewis Campbell – Lively, always a threat)

Referee: P Wood (Leicester)