Holbeach United 1
Harborough Town 1
Darren Jarvis has admitted that he was frustrated to see his Holbeach United finish the UCL Premier Division season with a draw – despite it being enough to clinch fourth place.
The Tigers fell behind against lowly Harborough Town on Saturday when Ben Williams capitalised on some sub-standard defending to head home on 20 minutes.
Man-of-the-match Craig Parker levelled with a calm finish nine minutes later, but Holbeach couldn’t make their second-half dominance count as they recorded a fifth draw on the trot.
Skipper Jamie Clarke missed three great chances to fire Jarvis’ side to a final day success – but in the grand scheme of things it mattered little, as they leapfrogged Yaxley to seal fourth position.
That didn’t stop the former Peterborough Northern Star boss from venting his frustration at the result, though.
“It was really frustrating,” bemoaned Tigers chief Jarvis. “That’s mainly because I wanted to finish on a high with three points – for the club, supporters and committee.
“Also for the lads, they’ve been outstanding in recent games. That’s why I wanted to win so much.
“Anybody watching the game will know that we should have won it. Jamie Clarke is a tremendous finisher – but today he could have had a hat-trick. On another day, he would have.
“I’m pleased with the second-half performance, pleased with how we kept pushing and pleased with the chances we created. It was just that final touch – on another day we’d have won 4-1.
“All credit to Harborough, they battled really well and have a couple of really good players.
“But I’m left with mixed emotions really.”
With nothing riding on the game, it was perhaps no surprise that Saturday’s showdown felt very much like the end-of-season encounter that it was.
In truth, nothing of note happened until Harborough opened the scoring on the 20 minute mark. Holbeach failed to deal with a free kick from the right and the ball found its way to Dan Knott on the left. His cross served up the simplest of headers for Williams, who made no mistake from close range.
That lead only lasted nine minutes, though, with Parker pressing the ball really well on the left before taking it round the onrushing keeper and tapping into the empty net.
Parker was at it again moments later, beating his man before lashing a low left-footed effort wide from an angle.
Young Holbeach keeper James Bradley was forced to pull off a stunning save to keep out Jordan Crawford’s back-post header early in the second period.
Callum MacNicol then headed into the net from the resultant corner, but it was harshly ruled out for perceived pushing in the box.
From then on it was one-way traffic, as the Tigers pushed for a winner. Clarke headed a deep cross from Paul Newcombe over at the back post, before lashing a great chance over following the move of the match.
Stacy Cartwright’s whipped ball down the line found Parker, who squared for his skipper, who couldn’t hit the target from about eight yards.
Newcombe then charged down the right and looped an effort onto the roof of the net, before Clarke was denied by a double-save from Glen Giles from close range.
There was almost a sting in the tail for the Tigers when Williams headed a late corner over, but they were still left wondering how they hadn’t won when the final whistle sounded.
Tigers: Bradley, Newcombe, Worthington, Murrell, Delahoy (Cartwright 58), Newman (Chappell 83), Kirby, Tidswell, Clarke, Sanders (Keeble 72), Parker.
