MATCH REPORT

With Holyhead Hotspurs still very much fighting for their lives in the Cymru Alliance and with Gresford only needing a point to secure their place in the league the scene was set for a closely fought and competitive league tie. Both teams started brightly although somewhat franticly as ball and players alike bounced around Clappers Lane and despite brief periods of good football being played, neither team seemed able to sustain any real pressure on their opposition. This being the case it was Gresford who took the early lead when a far from cohesive passage of play left Craig Williams to calmly lob a stranded Holyhead keeper to put Gresford in front. Despite this early lead we didn't’t seem to settle into the game and only good defending throughout the Gresford back four stamped any real authority on the fragile lead. Gresford dealt well with any Holyhead attacking play until a seemingly unthreatening through ball caught us napping and Holyhead were allowed a goal mouth scramble that saw a good save from Mike Price fall kindly to a Anthony Platt that needed a deflection/back flick to steer a loose shot into the Gresford net and level the score. In immediate reply Gresford were unlucky not to push in font again as a great ball from Jon Taylor was met by a strong header from Danny Purdie which in turn was headed clear off the line and both teams went into the interval on level pegging. The second half was played out in much the same vein with neither team looking particularly menacing and although the best chances of the half fell to Gresford who forced two good saves from the Holyhead keeper it was in fact Holyhead who enjoyed much of the possession and forward play. As the final whistle blew and with hindsight on what was a glorious sunny afternoon at Clappers Lane the match report could well have read…………… Gone fishing!

Final score Gresford Athletic 1 Holyhead Hotspurs 1

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