Lacklustre Holwell Sports downed by Belper United

Holwell looked on edge from the start, unable to get control of the ball, settle into their passing game or easily work the ball out of defence into attack.

The first chance did fall to Graham Wells after five minutes when a Chapman corner was cleared out to Bitmead who headed back across goal. But from two yards the Holwell striker missed the ball.

Play was edgy with neither team gaining outright control, but Holwell looked more dangerous in the early stages. And another chance went begging when Chapman and Chiavetta combined to send a ball in from the left which Hazeldine tried to acrobatically turn goalwards.

Belper started to put some moves together and Witham was forced into saves from Tim Perry and then Ben Stockley.

The visitors lit the game up on 18 minutes when they went ahead with an excellent finish.

Sam Vickers was given plenty of space and time to control on the left edge of the 18-yard box before calmly placing the ball low into the left-hand corner of Witham’s goal.

Holwell just couldn’t get anything to go their way, despite plenty of huff and puff, but the final ball was lacking, and a poor touch after saw a chance by Fontoura go astray.

Holwell’s best shot at goal came in the 35th minute after good work involving Chapman, Stevenson and Wells who set up Fontoura, but Belper’s keeper Bamford pulled off a good save.

Wells had another chance with a header on the stroke of half-time, but glanced his effort past the post.

The game was dead two minutes into the second half when poor defending on the right allowed Vickers to progress into the box.

His low cross-shot was not fully cleared, and Tim Perry shot from the edge of the box back past the motionless Holwell defence and keeper Witham.

Poor play throughout the team frustrated the home supporters in the second half, and the introduction of Hammond and Harris midway through the half failed to have any impact as Belper saw out the game.

Having saved Laitham Hammond as he recovers from a broken nose, and without Ridout (knee), Foster (hamstring), Tindle (ankle), manager Webster is understandably finding it difficult to pick a settled side and get a run going.

But a few solutions to halt this backwards slide could be found within the reserves who are beginning to gel and won 7-3 at Anstey Town on Saturday.

Holwell: Witham, Reeves, Chiavetta, Bitmead, Woodcock, Fontoura (Harris), Hibbitt, Stevenson, Chapman, Hazeldine (Hammond), Wells. Subs not used: Ridout, Williams, Cropper.