Hollands & Blair 0-0 Greenwich Borough - If they drop points we'll be there waiting there behind them, says Hollands & Blair boss Paul Piggott

Hollands & Blair 0 – 0 Greenwich Borough
Location	Star Meadow, Darland Avenue, Gillingham, Kent ME7 3AN
Kickoff	26/03/2016 15:00

HOLLANDS & BLAIR  0-0  GREENWICH BOROUGH
Southern Counties East Football League
Easter Saturday 26^th March 2016
Stephen McCartney reports from Darland Avenue

GREENWICH BOROUGH manager Gary Alexander says he’s enjoying the pressure of being involved in this two horse title race.

FOUL: Hollands & Blair striker Rob Denness (falling red shirted player beside goalkeeper Craig Holloway) had an early headed goal ruled out for a foul.
Photo: Alan Coomes

A record crowd of 405 flocked through the turnstiles at Darland Avenue to watch Hollands & Blair’s biggest game in their 46-year history as a win in this top-of-the-table showdown would go a very long way of sealing a promotion into the Ryman League, unthinkable for the Gillingham-based club during their Rochester & District League Premier Division championship winning season in 2010.

Greenwich Borough remain a point clear at the top of the Southern Counties East Football League table after this goal-less stalemate on a wet and very windy day.

Hollands & Blair, though, will be kicking themselves for their missed opportunities during the first half, as Greenwich Borough goalkeeper Craig Holloway maintained his fifth clean sheet in as many league games to keep the big-spending favourites at the summit, with both clubs having five league games left to play.

“Obviously it’s a tough place to come, we came here not to lose the game and we’ve done exactly that,” said former Millwall ace Alexander after his side’s seventh draw of the season, which gives his side 70 points from 31 games.

“It (the conditions) ruined the game. They play here week-in-week-out. They know how to play it so you can see how they get results through the way they’re playing and their style of play, but it was difficult for us.  We had to show battle and courage and we did that.

“Over the last eight or nine weeks we’ve closed off eight points of them so we’re sitting above them at the moment and it’s for ours to lose now but it’s eight points we’ve turned around. They’ve had to beat us today. We’ve come here and got a point but it’s still all to play for. Five games to go, anything could happen.”

Hollands & Blair manager Paul Piggott admitted it was two points dropped.

He said: “It probably is. Their keeper has had to make a couple of saves, especially the one at the death which was a world-class save.

“We just told the boys in there we defended really well today. We could’ve done a little bit better going forward, but we weren’t at our best going forward. 

“I think we probably just nudged it by the fact that the goalkeeper had to make a save at the end.”

Hollands & Blair dominated the first half and were by far the better side as they kicked down the slope.

Scottish left-back Bryan Greenfield clipped a long ball forward, Greenwich Borough’s right-back Nathan Paul cleared the ball straight to Tom Michelson, the central midfielder hooking his shot just past the left-hand post after only 12 seconds.

Hollands & Blair hit Greenwich Borough hard and the away side were on the ropes and received a huge slice of luck with three minutes and 28 seconds on the clock.

Greenfield swung in his first corner from the right and referee Richard Joss spotted Rob Denness had fouled his man before planting his header into the roof of the net from three yards out.

When asked about his side’s high-tempo start, Piggott replied: “That’s what we wanted to do, we didn’t want them to settle in to the game. We wanted to get some balls in and amongst them and find out what they were about.

“What the referee saw with the disallowed goal I couldn’t tell you now or in 100 years! It was a goal all day long, so disappointed with that decision but there you go, that’s how things go sometimes.”

Alexander added: “A foul’s a foul. The ref’s spotted a foul. He spotted some strange ones out there but the ref’s given a foul so obviously the goal didn’t count. It don’t matter, we look back and we’ve got another clean sheet, five in five.”

Greenwich Borough’s only chance during the half arrived with eight minutes on the clock, former Dartford midfielder Peter Sweeney going close with a left-footed curling free-kick from 22-yards, which sailed just over the top of the right-hand post.

Alexander said: “We came here not to get beat and we’ve put our side out not to get beat, in tough conditions.

“Sweens put one over the bar, on another day it might hit the target, it might not. It’s a free-kick so if it goes in it’s a bonus.”

Piggott added: “Defensively we were sound today. We were missing our talisman Stuart West in the heart of defence, he’s been superb for us all season, but Lewis Taylor and Steve Dampier were superb.”

Despite it being a very cagey game – the strong wind was the real winner on such a big day in the title race – but Hollands & Blair fashioned the greater chances.

Justin Ascheri’s corner from the left was cleared back to him and he floated his cross from the by-line back into the box for skipper Steve Dampier to knock down and Michelson to hook his shot straight at Holloway from 10-yards.

Piggott said: “It’s one of those ones when he’s hit it straight at the goalkeeper! He’s concentrating too much on getting it on target. Either side of him it’s a goal but again it showed our intent, a centre midfielder in the box trying to score goals.”

Another set-piece from the right hand side by Greenfield was met by Michelson’s glancing header, bouncing into Holloway’s hands, although destined to go past the far post.

Hollands & Blair’s next attempt in the 27^th minute should have seen striker James McDonald notch his 37^th goal of the season.

Alert thinking from Greenfield caught Greenwich Borough asleep as he rolled a quickly-taken free-kick into McDonald’s feet, who stroked a weak right-footed angled drive towards the bottom near corner, which was in the end saved comfortably by Holloway, diving low to his left.

Piggott said: “It was a great move, it’s something that we’ve been trying to do all season. You don’t always get the opportunity to do that so we were alive to the situation and we tried to get Macca in the box as much as we can.

“I think his first touch got him away from the goal, which probably narrowed his chances of scoring a goal but at least he got his shot away.”

Alexander added: “I think it was a game like that, there weren’t many chances. Obviously Rob Denness, the one who fouled and scored, the one at the end where Craig’s made an unbelievable save. It wasn’t a game of real clear cut chances where you could say he should’ve scored, he shouldn’t have scored.

“To be fair the wind ruined it, I think it was a spoiler and it looked like 0-0 all day.”

Greenwich Borough just never got going at all in a disappointing first half by their standards – but the wind almost helped them grab hold of the lead.

Lewis Taylor was booked for his challenge on Jake Britnell and Sweeney swept his hanging left-footed free-kick into the penalty area from 45-yards, which caught the wind and goalkeeper Dan Ellis made sure he caught the ball before it dipped into the roof of his net.

If Greenwich Borough are to be league champions at Ashford United on the last day of the season (23 April), McDonald will be having nightmares over his glaring miss on the stroke of half-time.

Sam Welch launched a long throw into the penalty area from the right, Michelson flicked the ball on towards an unmarked McDonald at the far post.  The home fans were expecting the net to bulge, but instead his cushioned downward header bounced in front of Holloway but agonisingly past the foot of the far post.

Piggott said: “We were waiting for the net to go! Macca’s confident, he’s pulled it back across, probably done the right thing. We’re just waiting for the net to go.

“The fact that you’re telling me we had those chances in the first half just tells me really that we had the lionshare of the chances of the game and on that I think we shaded the game, but there you go.”

Alexander said: “It’s a chance gone. James McDonald is not top scorer in the league for no reason. He sniffs at chances. He sniffed that one out but on another day, again, it may have been but today it’s not. We’ve come away with another clean sheet and a point for us.”

When asked about his side’s lack of goalscoring threat, Alexander replied: “They know how they play their pitch, they play it week-in-week-out. We come here once a season so they know how to play these conditions as well as this ground.”

Piggott added: “Going into the game we knew the forecast, the rain was going to come in and a bit of wind as well, what’s even more so you want to keep the ball on the deck a little bit more but it is what it is.”

Greenwich Borough were on the ropes during the first half, Hollands & Blair failed to deliver the knock-out blow in a dominant half and may pay the price when the medals are handed out.

Both sides went into the game scoring 209 goals between them (Greenwich leading the way with 106), so the large crowd expected goals during the second half.

Piggott said: “Same as, just the same as. Defensively have the same intent, we probably just didn’t pass the ball enough. We just didn’t get the ball moving. We went a little bit safe and we were back to front a little bit too much over the first 45 minutes, which was our intention early to get them on the back foot but we wanted to grow into the game and just pass the ball a little bit more, just keep the ball a bit.”

“I just said we need to be sharper to the football, we have to pick up more second ball and obviously be sharper to the ball,” said Alexander.

“They were sharper to the ball in every aspect. We didn’t really create a lot but again I woke everyone up at half-time.

“Second half was slightly better but it looked like a 0-0 from where I was sitting, all day long.

“It was only ever going to be a set-piece, a corner, which would change the game and it didn’t happen.”

However, the second half dished up poor entertainment as the swirling wind and rain made conditions playing and watching difficult.

Hollands & Blair were awarded a free-kick some 25-yards from goal after 12 minutes.  After a gust of wind rolled the ball away, this meant Greenfield hit his free-kick into the wall and the ball bounced out of play for a throw-in.

Greenwich Borough’s talented winger Jake Britnell was kept quiet but he sparked into life when he tackled Greenfield in midfield and swept the ball out to Ryan Dolby on the other side of the pitch.  The winger cut inside and from just inside the corner of the box his shot screamed across Ellis and sailed past the far post.

“We came here not to lose, we were trying to catch them on the break and that was probably our best opportunity to catch them on the break,” said Alexander.

“Britnell worked his socks off, Dolbs has hit one just wide again. It’s a shot from distance, it’s not a missed opportunity. It’s a shot from distance and sometimes they go, sometimes they don’t.

“Jake just worked his socks off as he does every other week. He’s got a problem, a slight niggle, but he’ll be fit for Monday.”

Piggott added: “I think it was taken away, some good defending managed to push him wide.

“They’re a good side, they’ve got a good group of players in there and we knew they would have chances in the game. If we kept them down to a bare minimum, we’d still be in the game.”

Three of the four wingers (Blair’s Brett Ince and Justin Ascheri) and Britnell) didn’t finish the game. It was a battle, 32 fouls were committed (Greenwich committing 19 of them) and not a lot of football was played.

Sweeney swung in a free-kick from the right and neither Michael Power nor Danny Young could get the decisive touch before the ball was put behind for a corner.

The large crowd hoped for a winner and Hollands & Blair should have provided it from another corner in the final 16 minutes.

Hollands & Blair won the corner count 8-4. Greenfield swung in the ball in from the left with his left-foot towards the far post and Michelson headed down and into Holloway’s hands before it could creep into the left-hand corner.

Piggott said: “We’re normally quite strong on our set-pieces. We get the ball in good areas. We attack the ball but I’m not sure we attacked the ball with the right hunger today. There were a few good balls go in the box, especially second half and I just felt we let the ball hit our heads rather than our heads head the ball and that’s what’s cost us a goal today.”

Greenwich Borough’s only shot on target finally arrived with the second half clock showing 43:56.

Holloway launched a big kick straight down the middle of the pitch, Michael Power was fighting off scraps, couldn’t do anything but the ball ran loose to substitute Mohamed Eisa.

Alexander explained why his 30-goal attacker stayed on the bench until the 73rd minute and Eisa drilled his left-footed shot towards goal from 25-yards, forcing Ellis to stretch to pluck the ball out of the air high above his head.

He said: “Again it’s not a clear cut chance, a shot, Mo created that himself, a little bit of magic.

“Mo’s more than capable but today wasn’t a day for your players like Mo and Tom Youngs. I’ve got quality in that dressing room and it wasn’t a day for that. Today was a day for putting in a shift, not that they don’t put in a shift but they’re special players, they’re very good on the ball and in those sort of conditions and that sort of pitch it probably doesn’t suit them.”

Piggott added: “He’s got a good pair of hands on that. He’s hit it very hard. I know it was straight at his throat, he had to have some good contact to it and to be fair he did but for me, for note, that was their only shot on target they had that I can remember so that says a lot what we’ve done defensively today.”

Hollands & Blair would have been deserved winners but Holloway pulled off a brilliant save with the clock showing 46:57.

Denness and McDonald linked up superbly down the left and McDonald saw the headlines in front of his eyes, stroking his angled drive towards the far corner from the left-corner of the box, only for Holloway (who showed a great pair of hands to pluck out many crosses into his area) to dive full length to his left to tip the ball around the post.

Piggott said: “He’s a top drawer goalkeeper, we all know that and that save proved that! He’s kept his side in the chase today, as far as I’m concerned that’s a great save. That’s a save that normal goalkeeper’s at our level don’t make.”

Alexander added: “He’s a little fox in the box. They moved the ball in, Denness did well and they’ll cause anyone problems.  They haven’t caused us loads and loads of problems today but they’ve sniffed out a couple of chances and McDonald’s not top scorer in the league for no reason. He’s created himself a little bit of room there and got his shot off and Craig’s made a great save, which he is there to do.”

Hollands & Blair travel to third-placed Ashford United on Easter Monday, before ending their campaign with games against Tunbridge Wells (away), Erith Town (away), Sevenoaks Town (home) and Beckenham Town (away).

Greenwich Borough host Rochester United on Easter Monday, before playing Corinthian (away), AFC Croydon Athletic (home), Croydon (home) and Ashford United (away).

Both managers were asked their thoughts on this two-horse title race.

Piggott said: “We’re still in the hunt, we’re still in there. We’re still one point behind them. The fact that it was in our hands slightly as far as if we beat them we’d take the three points off them but we haven’t so we’re right behind them so if they drop points we’ll be there waiting there behind them.

“We know that we have to win every game now so if they’re going to be dropping more points we’ll be there behind them making sure we take advantage of that.”

Alexander is under immense pressure to ensure Greenwich Borough cross the line in first place.

“It’s going to be swings and roundabouts,” he predicted.

“There’s some big games to go still in the league. There’s teams that can have their say so we’ve got to keep winning our games and make sure we better their results and if that’s the case we’ll be top come the end of the season, but it’s not over by a long shot.

“Just after Christmas we were chasing down eight points, we’ve done that, we’ve over turned the deficit to be a point in front so if you had offered to me that now and have us top of the league I would’ve taken it all day long so that’s credit to the boys that we’ve closed that gap up. It was hard to chase down, it was there’s to lose, now it’s rolls reversed. We’re top of the league and now they’ve got to catch us now.

“It’s in our hands, we’ve closed the gap up and have earnt the right to go top of the league and we’ve done just that.  There’s a long way to go, there’s five games to go and anything could happen.”

When asked if he is under pressure to land promotion at the end of next month, Alexander replied: “No, it’s a good pressure. We want to play in these games and you want to be a footballer, you want to be higher.  Whether they (Hollands & Blair) felt pressure, I don’t know, being eight points clear but we’re one point clear and we’re enjoying that sort of pressure.

“We’ve got some big players in there. I’ve got some talent capable to play a lot higher than what they’re playing at the moment. We’ll enjoy that pressure. To go higher they’ve got to enjoy that pressure.

“It’s a good point at the end of the day for us.”

Hollands & Blair: Dan Ellis, Sam Welch, Bryan Greenfield, Louis Valencia, Lewis Taylor, Steve Dampier, Justin Ascheri (Luke Fewsdale 80), Tom Michelson, James McDonald, Rob Denness, Brett Ince (Jordan Gallagher 61).
Subs: George Blake, Sam Gutridge, Joe Clark

Booked: Lewis Taylor 36, Justin Ascheri 79, Rob Denness 79

Greenwich Borough: Craig Holloway, Nathan Paul, Lewis Clarke, Peter Sweeney, Rob Gilman, Danny Young, Jake Britnell (Mohamed Eisa 73), Patrick O’Conner, Michael Power, Ryan Johnson, Ryan Dolby.
Subs: Tom Youngs, Cisco Mbela, Scott Kinch, Hassan Jalloh

Attendance: 405
Referee: Mr Richard Joss (Margate)
Assistants: Mr Mark Cheeseman (Teynham) & Mr Steve Rowedder (Bromley)