A strong Holt side inflicted a first defeat of the season on the Stur second string. (Yes, I know it was only our second game, but it sounds good, ok?).

An early evening 6 o’clock kick off meant players arrived in dribs and drabs and had no time for a proper warm up. The lack of preparation told on the away side and Holt immediately took the initiative and made their advantage count when they took an early lead. Stur then began to get back into the game and had several chances to equalise during a period of sustained pressure. It was the visitors who grabbed the second goal though when a forward chased a ball into the inside left channel and gave Dan Neville a quick elbow in the back before shooting past Talbot. The referee, not for the first or the last time, missed the blatant foul and awarded the goal, much to the surprise of all concerned.

Stur huffed and puffed for the rest of the half but to no avail and so went in two goals behind.

HT: 0-2

Stur began pushing forward after half time in an attempt to get something from the game, but were caught on the break fifteen minutes into the half. Andy Talbot got to the ball ahead of the charging Holt forward and had the ball kicked out of his hands. The referee inexplicably awarded a penalty against the Stur keeper. The kick was buried and it looked as though the game was over as a spectacle.

Before the invention of yellow boots, hairbands, snoods, cycling shorts and bowling green pitches came blood, snot and mud – not to mention good old-fashioned tackling. The tackle Dan Neville made in the 60th minute could definitely be described as old fashioned. The unfortunate recipient of the tackle was certainly covered in blood, snot and mud when he eventually clambered to his feet. Old timers like Tommy Smith, Norman Hunter and Chopper Harris would have been proud. The reaction of the Holt players and dugout to the robust challenge was akin to watching a tribe of orcs on steroids. The game certainly livened up after the incident and a few vigorous challenges were flying about.

Matt Jones scored twenty minutes from time to give Stur a glimmer of hope, but Holt restored their three goal advantage within minutes and saw the game out comfortably to take three points.