GWHC2S 2 - 1 Holcombe

14 man of the match performances the Captain asked for.
And that's exactly what he got.

From the off Zak Rowland put the Holcombe defence under pressure and pounced on a mistake before burying a 1 on 1 with the keeper to send the home side on their way within the opening few minutes. His tenacity for chasing and the constant searching passes from midfield had the game looking like it might be only going one way.

A few more minutes in and Aaron Elliott back post with a chance to make it 2, only for the ball to bounce agonisingly awkward to evade his stick.
Chances would come and go for Steve Caulfield, Amit Ubhi and Tom Simcock before Rowland fashioned another chance beating the keeper but the defence doing well to cover.

More cover from a short corner as the shot from Caulfield rebounded to Elliott who lifted it over the stranded keeper on his reverse only for 2 defenders to halt it in the air and claw it off the line.

Up the other end the home side handling the counterattack risk very well albeit conceding a few short corners that they then ably dealt with. One corner following a brilliant effort from Oli Atkinson who, spotting the danger, had run the length of the pitch to help cover his defence who were beaten and to prevent a certain goal.

Pressure, pressure and yet more pressure for Gravesham.
The additions to the squad doing well with Jay Cheema impressing on the right wing with his efforts and high energy.
Half time came and the team agreed they needed more of the same but to remain focused and not panic.

The second half began with the team playing as before. A short corner came and the Captain called for back post. Caulfield expertly dispatching it for Elliott to divert high onto the backboard. 2-0. And that was the end of the Captains game, a recent hamstring injury beginning to feel tired so deciding to take no chances. Caulfield would now play Forward with Simcock ACM.

The game progressed with shots or chances falling to Atkinson, Alex Spurgeon, Rowland, Caulfield, Simcock, Ubhi, Reuben Morphew and John Booth. None able to breach the Holcombe goal. Si Bradley up would even have a go in a phase of play following another short corner.

Then, in a rare moment of madness, a wayward clearance from Keaton Gates in goal went straight to a Holcombe Forward, who hit it hard against the backboard from top D. He was kicking himself, but despite the set back the home side maintained control of the game and saw it out in the final third of the pitch to finish the game with 3 points.

It was a dominant performance that could easily have seen 7 or 8 goals scored, on another day. Sometimes that's just how it goes.

Man of the match: Zak Rowland.