Holbeach United 2 Leicester Nirvana 0
Holbeach United kept their bid for a Uhlsport UCL Premier Division double on track with a 2-0 win over eight-man Leicester Nirvana on Saturday.
Goals in each half from Liam Adams (45) and skipper Spencer Tinkler (49) settled the Carter’s Park clash in the Tigers’ favour, keeping them fifth in the table.
But the big story was the indiscipline shown by opponents Nirvana, who had Jhaden Harper, Jordan Nelson and Sam Gent all sent off.
Two of the red cards were for serious fouls on Nick Jackson and Luke Wilson, with Holbeach boss Danny Hussey alleging that Gent – who was the player reported to the Lincolnshire FA by Pinchbeck United player/boss Ian Dunn for verbally abusing his young son Rupert earlier in the season – committed a pre-meditated punch or elbow on Wilson moments after coming on as a substitute.
Despite the red cards, Hussey didn’t think the game was a dirty one and was happy to avenge the 4-3 defeat his side suffered back in September.
“It was in no way a dirty game,” said Hussey. “It also wasn’t a derby or anything like that, so I don’t know why it was so niggly.
“I think that maybe the referee set an early precedent with some of his decisions and things eventually got out of hand as the players grew a little frustrated by him.
“One of the Nirvana red cards was very harsh, but the other two were as blatant as you’ll see. Neither incident had any place on the football field – the guy who went for Luke Wilson was saying he was going to get him before he came on as a sub.
“For me, that kind of pre-meditated decision is insulting for their manager and the other players who stayed on the field.
“I felt sorry for their manager and some of their players – the likes of Jordan Smith – who gave it their all and were badly let down.
“But we benefitted from these incidents and I’m obviously pleased to have won the game.
“Let’s be honest, Nirvana are one of the better teams in the league – and I’d never beaten them as a manager.
“That’s a nice moment for me and I’m also really pleased for the boys; we won’t lose to the same team twice in the same season.
“We’ve put that right and I’m happy with the performance.
“I would have liked to see us go after them a bit more when they were down to so few players, but it became a bit of a training session.
“I wanted us to get the ball wide and really stretch them, but the lads wanted to be like Barcelona and just knocked it around.
“Maybe it’s just the way I am, but I’d have liked to see us go on and get a few more goals against eight men.”
Tigers: Drury, Wilson, T Smith (Withers 82), Fairweather, N Jackson, Setchell (Bird 78), Tinkler, A Jackson, Adams, Lockie, Frew (Ford 63). Not used: Oliver.
Attendance: 89.
