Leicester Nirvana 4
Holbeach United 3
Holbeach United twice blew leads as they slumped to a 4-3 Uhlsport UCL Premier Division defeat at Leicester Nirvana on Saturday.
A Nick Jackson header from a corner put the Tigers 1-0 to the good at half-time, before Jon Fairweather doubled the lead early in the second period with another header.
Shaquille Master (72) then pulled one back for the home team at Hamilton Park, before Tariq Wilson levelled four minutes later.
A fine run and finish from Jonny Lockie looked to have sealed the points for Holbeach with a few minutes left, but Jordan Nelson’s penalty (87) restored parity once again.
Worse was to follow for Danny Hussey’s side, with Jhaden Harper bundling home the winner in added time to give Nirvana all three points.
Holbeach’s second league loss of the season sees them drop to seventh in the table – and boss Hussey wasn’t best amused with his side.
“I’m not best pleased with the result or performance,” admitted the Tigers chief. “I’ve been saying it for a few weeks now, but this was coming.
“We’ve been under-performing against some of the weaker sides and still getting results.
“I said that we’ve been lucky previously and so it has proved. Nirvana played some really good football on Saturday and they deserved the victory.
“From our point of view, to lose the game after being 2-0 and 3-2 up is very disappointing.
“We’ve got the experience in the squad to be able to defend our lead and pick them off on the break, but it just didn’t happen.
“There was just no organisation or leadership out on the pitch and we looked unfit both mentally and physically.
“That has cost us dear and we deserved to lose the game, which is criminal having led the game twice.”
Holbeach are back in action on Wednesday night as they hosts Whittlesey Athletic in the KitmanUK League Cup (7.45pm).
Tigers: Drury, Wilson, T Smith, N Jackson, Braithwaite, Tinkler, Avis, Fairweather, Oliver, Lockie, Bird. Sub used: Gadsden. Not used: J Smith, Edey, Hussey.
