EYNESBURY ROV 1
HOLBEACH UNITED 0
Disappointed Holbeach United boss Seb Hayes admitted that his side got what they deserved on Saturday as they slumped to a 1-0 defeat at Eynesbury Rovers.
The Tigers went into the game with a realistic chance of winning the ChromaSport UCL Premier Division title, but the loss leaves them as outsiders in fourth place.
The first half was largely uneventful, but Rovers struck the only goal in the second minute of stoppage time when Danny Draper headed home.
Draper almost doubled the lead early in the second period, but it was Holbeach who had the best chance when Nick Jackson headed a Mitch Griffiths corner wide from close in.
The defeat leaves the Tigers with a mountain to climb if they are to win the title – and boss Seb Hayes wasn’t impressed.
He said: “It was a very poor game. The lads just didn’t work hard enough and we looked flat.
“It was like we just tried to match them – but we’re not good enough to do that.
“I think Eynesbury were worthy winners. They were the better side in the first half. We improved after the break, but didn’t do enough at any point to win the game.
“It was just a rubbish match of football, which is obviously disappointing as we went into the game with a mathematical chance of winning the title.”
Holbeach now welcome Wisbech Town to Carter’s Park on Wednesday night (7.45pm).
The Fenmen come into the game in second place, four points behind leaders Yaxley with two games in hand.
Hayes admits that his Tigers have performed poorly against Wisbech win recent years and wants his side to earn some respect from their big rivals.
He added: “We know that Wisbech don’t respect us. Why would they? We’ve given them no reason to.
“I’ve got nothing against them and (boss) Gary Setchell and I’d have no problem at all with them winning the league, they’re a very good side.
“But I want my team to beat them and derail their hopes. Beating the top sides, other than Wisbech, has been something we’ve been good at this season.”
Tigers: Drury, Harker, N Jackson, Cartwright, Braithwaite, A Jackson, Griffiths, Smith, Leckie, Sanders (Curtis), Bird (Tinkler). Not used: Barker.
Attendance: 114.
