Holdom Rolls Back the Years

Jets 2 Hillingdon 1

Spartan South Midlands Premier
22nd September2009

Jets again had to reshuffle the team as injuries and a number of other issues took hold of the team. Badly needing the points, manager Benny Higham rang the changes and looked to attack Hillingdon from the start.

It was, however, the worst start possible for Jets. After only two minutes another defensive error allowed Hillingdon's Engelman to coolly fire the newly relegated team into the lead, and Jets looked to be heading for another match were they would spend most of their time chasing the game.

Hillingdon dominated the first twenty minutes of the game, although recalled Adam Lowton was causing problems on the break and was very unlucky when he headed against the inside of the post and, typical of Jets luck at the moment, it came out!.

After the first twenty minutes,however, the game swung around and it was Jets in the ascendancy, with Ben Chandler and man of the match Adam Lowton causing all sorts of problems with strong support from, Lee Inch, Andrew Lomas and the experienced Nathan Roberts and Colin Jenkins.

Lee Inch and Adam Lowton both came close before Nathan Roberts fed the ball that Adam Lowton nudged over the line at the far post for 1-1.

Joe Marsh, although now having little to do, had to pull out the stops to deny Hillingdon on the break, but it was Jets who were doing the pressing and who were more disappointed to hear the half time whistle than Hillingdon.

The second half continued the same way the first had ended with Jets continuing to control the game. Adam Lowton should have scored straight from the kick off, before Hillingdon even got a touch, when Inch and Chandler weaved him through but he was denied by the keeper again, and moments later the keeper pulled off a super save from Ian Bywater whose dipping shot looked in.

With the game still in the balance, enter the clubs Mr Reliable, Ian Holdom, who, with Ben Chandler coming off through injury, was asked to roll back the years and do what he does best, nudge the winner. After only having been on for four minutes he did just that, "sniffer" stuck the leg out and nudged the ball past the keeper with all but his first touch to seal the points for Jets.

Jets did sit back a bit too much and had to defend a wobbly last ten minutes and a lengthy stoppage time straight out of Old Trafford, but the delight of the team at the final whistle was clear for all to see.

A super much needed win for Jets, and a good performance too.