Match Report – Rusthall 1-3 Holmesdale
Saturday 3rd October
First Division
Rusthall 1-3 Holmesdale
Match Report from Rusthall
A third league game in a row ended in defeat and in truth, it was a game in which Rusthall failed to really get going. Jimmy Anderson kept the players on the pitch for some time after the game and he will want a response from the players following a disappointing, and often disjointed, performance.
Holmesdale started the match in a lively fashion, confidently moving the ball around and unafraid to shoot at goal – one shot from distance flew narrowly over Billy Johnson’s bar, although the keeper did have it covered. Rusthall were struggling for rhythm – simple passes were going astray, frustration was growing, and there was little for new signing Sid Sollis to work with. Holmesdale took the lead with a well worked goal- a ball played into the channel was well finished from the left. It was nearly 2-0 ten minutes later but another long range effort hit the bar.
Rusthall upped their game in the 15 minutes before halftime but it was a case of ‘nearly, but not quite’ on a several occasions.
Stephen Camacho, who had a solid game throughout, attacked down the left but his pull back found no one in green. Shortly after, James Miles was a well-timed interception away from being through on goal and Tommy Lawrence went close with a trademark free kick. Ryan Styles headed over from a corner and it really felt like momentum was building.
At half time, Jefferson Aibangbee replaced Cameron Gyeabour and he made an impact on the left hand side. Despite an improvement in stringing a few passes together, it wasn’t long before Holmesdale’s long range shooting paid off. The ball was picked up on the left of the box by Palmer and a fine strike was dispatched into the far corner.
Rusthall stuck to the task and with 15 minutes to go, James Miles tried to seize the initiative with a mazy run into the box but again, the attack fizzled out. Reuel Powell-Downey made a welcome appearance from the bench – more game time and sharpness from him will be very welcome indeed.
The comeback was seemingly on after 79 minutes when Callum Naessens scored from a Tommy Lawrence delivery – his header looped back across goal, hit the post, rolled along the line and across it before the keeper could claw it out.
Just as the Rusthall players and crowd could sense a turnaround, the game was ended with another fine Holmesdale goal, yet another shot from distance.
Having played three of the stronger teams in the division recently, Jimmy Anderson, his players, and the fans who are turning up in great numbers will hope to see an upturn in form and an improvement in results, starting next week away at Elmstead.
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