PNS 1 (Macleod 8)
Holbeach Utd 6 (Beeson pen 21, Fuller 33, Parker 49, Dube 70 & 78, Duffy 90)
Ruthless title favourites Holbeach made the perfect start to the new UCL Premier Division season on Sunday as they hit nine-man Star for six in their own back yard.
Goals from Lee Beeson (pen 21), Ashley Fuller (33), Liam Parker (49), Lee Dube (70 and 78) and Jake Duffy (90) steered the Tigers to the top of the embryonic table at the Mick George Arena in front of a healthy 357 fans.
It all could have been very different though, with Star – who actually went ahead through Jordan Macleod on eight minutes – having defender Jonny Clay sent off for a professional foul on 20 minutes and striker Phil Stebbing dismissed for two yellow cards on the hour.
Tigers co-boss John Chand was adamant that both dismissals were justified and praised the performance of referee Mark Wetherall, as well as his new-look side.
“Nobody can argue about the red cards,” said the 2013 UCL Premier Division title winning chief. “They were both totally justified.
“The referee Mr Wetherall was strong. Players often get away with professional fouls at this level, while he could have let Stebbing off because of the first red.
“Obviously they changed the game, but that’s not our fault. I’d have taken 1-0 before the game, but 6-1 is the perfect start.
“I thought we were ruthless against the nine men and could have scored more.
“PNS have a strong side this year and I’m sure they’ll take points off the top teams.
“They should be looking at finishing in the top six. It’s early days for us, but that’s one of the tougher games checked off in pretty impressive style.”
The game kicked off at the unorthodox hour of 11am as part of the very successful Groundhop UK initiative – and it looked like Holbeach were still asleep in the opening exchanges.
Star, tipped by many to be in the top six this term, punished some casual defending to go 1-0 up from their first meaningful attack as Macleod fired an accurate 20-yard drive into Nick Conroy’s bottom corner.
With co-bosses John Chand and Graham Drury getting increasingly animated on the sideline, the Tigers soon hit back 12 minutes later in what proved to be the defining moment of the game.
Striker Danny Spencer got in behind Star skipper Clay and was about to pull the trigger in the penalty box before being bundled over by the South Holland-based defender.
It was a clear penalty and the referee had no choice but to send Clay off. Set piece maestro Beeson did the rest in his first competitive game for Holbeach, picking out the bottom left corner.
From then you sensed there was only going to be one winner. Star, to their credit, never threw in the towel and would have gone back ahead but for Conroy’s sharp stop from Luke Hunnings’ header.
But it was pretty much one-way traffic after that, with Spencer powering a Beeson corner just over with his head and Duffy denied a certain goal by a brave last-ditch tackle from Hunnings.
The pressure eventually told, though. A wonderful raking pass from Jonny Allen released the pacy Jake Gibson, who expertly flicked a ball through for Fuller to put Holbeach ahead with a clinical close-range strike.
It was a mouth-watering example of the kind of play Holbeach will be capable of delivering this year, given the rich depth of talent in their squad. Fuller went close to doubling his money early in the second period when his ferocious left-footed drive was superbly turned over the bar by the under-siege Dan George.
The home keeper could do nothing about Parker’s header from the resulting Beeson corner though, as the Tigers gave themselves a crucial two-goal cushion.
Red mist then descended for Star striker Stebbing. Booked in the first half after an unsavoury exchange with Holbeach skipper Jamie Stevens, the ex-Deeping Rangers man kicked out at the same player, leaving the referee with no choice to send him off too.
No team at this level could cope against Holbeach with nine men – and with strikers Dube, Courtney Meade and Gary King coming off the bench, they went in for the kill.
Dube, who looks a real player, fired number four moments after coming on, following a swift break from a Star corner. With the ball eventually working its way to Beeson, the winger squared expertly for the striker to fire in at the near post after taking a touch.
That man Dube was at it again eight minutes later. A clever one-two between him and striker partner Meade allowed the big frontman to calmly slot under an exposed George.
It was almost six when King, who played with real swagger in an unfamiliar midfield role after coming on, smashed a long ranger off the far post soon after.
But it was midfielder Duffy who had the final word in added time as he angled a low drive into the bottom corner after being slipped through by King.
Six was harsh on a Star side that refused to give up, but they can have no complaints with either red card.
As for Holbeach, they couldn’t have asked for a better start to their bid for a second UCL Premier Division title in three seasons – and there’s no doubt that they’ll be in the hunt for silverware once again this season.
Tigers: Conroy, Allen, Gibson (Dube 63), Warfield, Parker, Stevens (Meade 71), Beeson, Duffy, Spencer, Pinner (King 65). Not used: Elliott, Delahoy.
Other UCL results: Deeping 3 Harborough 1; Yaxley 3 Long Buckby 1.
