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Scott the hero as Town hold on to clinch the points
Sleaford Town 1 Holbeach 0 THERE was little to bring festive cheer to the crowd at Sleaford's Eslaforde Park ground in this United Counties League local derby game on Monday.
The opening 45 minutes were particularly devoid of goalmouth action and the game ultimately hinged on the outcome of two penalties and the stunning performance of Sleaford keeper Andrew Scott.
He pulled off two remarkable second half double saves and another stunning stop in the dying minutes.
Thanks largely to Scott's heroics between the sticks, Sleaford held on to claim all three points after an uninspired performance.
With neither keeper really tested in the first half the only attempt on goal of any note came from Ryan Oliver just before the half time break - his long range drive flying narrowly wide of the target and into the side netting.
It was the second half which produced all the action and the talking points of a generally disappointing game.
Nine minutes after the restart, former Sleaford player Pete Sutton went down in the box following a challenge. He picked himself up to take the resulting penalty which Scott saved and then the Town keeper brilliantly kept out the follow up shot for his first vital double save of the game.
A further nine minutes into the second period and it was Sleaford who were awarded a spot kick after Miles Hunter was brought down in the penalty area chasing a Lee Llewellyn free kick. Like Sutton, Hunter picked himself up to take the penalty but, unlike Sutton, he found the target to give Sleaford a one goal advantage.
Two minutes later Sleaford had strong appeals for another penalty turned down, much to the surprise of both home and visiting supporters. When the keeper took Oliver's legs in a clumsy challenge it looked to all the world as the most obvious penalty of the day but the referee disagreed and waved play on.
While still disgruntled at being denied a second penalty, Sleaford were again indebted to the defiant Scott who blocked the initial shot before somehow keeping out a header from the rebound.
Holbeach were enjoying the better of the possession, with Sleaford relying on the odd break.
As the game neared the death there was still time for Scott to pull off another superb save to keep his goal intact, while at the other end Hunter and Gary Walters both went close.
Town: Scott; T Ward, Jones, Ajimoko, Llewellyn; Lunn, Bolland, P Ward, Walters; Hunter, Oliver. Subs: Roche, Shaw, Reidy, Drury, Harrison
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Weather for Sleaford
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North
