Holbeach United 2
Erith & Belvedere 3
(after extra time)
Graham Drury admitted that going out of the FA Vase was a “killer blow” after seeing his Holbeach United side outgunned by Erith & Belvedere in a last 16 thriller on Saturday.
Adam Marsh’s classy extra time strike ended Holbeach’s dreams of reaching the quarter-finals for the first time in their history in what was a dramatic Carter’s Park clash.
All looked to be going to plan for the Tigers when Lee Dube buried a third-minute opener, but Byron Walker levelled on 13 minutes – and a horrible own goal from Kern Miller (34) then put the visitors ahead at half time.
Holbeach were by far the better side in the second period and deservedly levelled 20 minutes from time when Jake Duffy took advantage of some calamitous defending to coolly slot a low drive into the corner and force extra time.
They couldn’t carry that momentum into the additional period, though, with Erith turning the game on its head and grabbing the vital fifth goal of the game when Marsh expertly side-footed Ben Wilson’s cross into the top corner on 99 minutes.
Matt Nolan was then sent off for Holbeach following a late lunge, just seconds before the final whistle blew and the Kent side toasted the prospect of a home tie with favourites North Shields in the last eight.
Co-boss Drury rued defensive errors as the dream of a Wembley final faded away, but was quick to wish Erith all the best for the remainder of the season.
“I’m a bit deflated really,” said the former Stamford and Boston United chief. “If they had been the better team on the day, I could have accepted it.
“I didn’t think there was a lot between the teams if I’m honest. But I’m very disappointed with the goals we conceded.
“The first goal we conceded, I think we were a little bit lazy getting back from a corner – and it was a carbon copy for their third.
“I find myself shouting at the lads all the time to get back, but I’m starting to feel a bit like a broken record now.
“OK, maybe I can let the first goal go – it was a mistake. We spoke at half time about getting back in behind the ball from corners, but despite that we’ve still had players jogging back for the third goal – we just didn’t learn our lesson.
“It’s certainly a chance missed. The opportunity to progress was there today – and we’ve missed it.
“We had a 15-minute period when we got the score back to 2-2 were we really ground them down and looked in control.
“I tried to rally the lads before extra time, but I don’t think we kept the ball well in that first period and the pendulum swung the other way – and they got their tails up.
“We were chasing the game in the second part of extra time and left it late to throw everything at them. We had a few chances – and I’ll always back this team to create one more chance – but in the final few minutes, I just couldn’t see us scoring.
“To be fair, the response from the players at 2-1 down was unbelievable and I can’t knock that. All I’m disappointed about is the lack of organisation.
“Going out is a killer. I really believed that we could have gone a little bit further, if not all the way, but it’s one of them – we’re out and they’ve got North Shields next. I wish them all the best.
“I’d also like to wish every one of their players all the best in the league too, because they’re having a great season. Credit to them, they dug in during extra time and the pendulum swung their way.”
On a heavy Carter’s Park pitch, the Tigers flew out of the traps. Man-of-the-moment Dube, fresh off his midweek hat-trick against Huntingdon Town, latched onto a long Duffy through ball and fired past the on-rushing George Kamurasi and into the net.
Holbeach’s lead was wiped out on 13 minutes, though, with the speedy Walker latching onto a neat pass from Marsh and lofting an effort into Nick Conroy’s top corner.
Duffy forced a smart near-post stop from an otherwise jittery Kamurasi moments later, before Lee Beeson curled a cracking effort just wide of the far top corner from 25 yards.
Disaster struck 11 minutes before the interval, however, as Miller – racing back to defend a long pass following a Holbeach corner – inexplicably headed the ball past a stranded Conroy and into his own net to give the away side the lead for the first time.
Dube almost levelled with a 25-yard blockbuster, but Holbeach went in 2-1 down at half time and looked a little shell-shocked.
After a talking to during the interval, the hosts cranked it up a notch in the second period. Duffy prodded a presentable opportunity wide on the hour after being played through by the excellent Dube, but went one better 20 minutes from time.
A horrible mix-up in the Erith defence allowed the Tigers’ midfielder the freedom of the penalty box – and he duly placed a low leveller into the far corner.
Miller then prodded an instinctive effort wide from close range, before Conroy was forced to make an incredible save to keep out a swerving 30-yard drive from Belvedere striker Alfie May in the dying seconds.
Extra time was low on quality, barring one moment of magic from Marsh in the 99th minute. He dispatched a low delivery Wilson into the top corner with a first-time side-foot strike to all but end Holbeach’s hopes of making history.
Beeson did send a long range effort wide in the second period of extra time, but once Nolan was dismissed in the 118th minute it became clear that it simply wasn’t Holbeach’s day.
They’ll have to pick themselves up for a trip to Harrowby United in the UCL Premier Division on Tuesday night (7.45pm).
Tigers: Conroy, Anton, Parker, Spencer (Cartwright 17), Miller, Duffy, Beeson, Warfield (Gibson 69), Steadman, Clarke (Nolan 59), Dube. Not used: King, Pinner, Overton.
Attendance: 245
