Premier Division

Blackstones  6    Holbeach United  3

Tuesday, 26 February 2008

Blackstones overturned an interval deficit to pick up a valuable three points thanks to a powerful second half performance.

The Tigers took a 20th minute lead through Antonio Pascu who fired home from the edge of the box, but Stones levelled ten minutes before the break through Luke Kennedy's penalty, awarded for Nicky Conroy's foul on Phil Stebbing.

Ross Nichols, who recently rejoined Holbeach from Blackstones, gave his new club the half time lead with a 42nd minute goal, turning a corner over the line from close range. In first half stoppage time a goalline clearance denied Nichols a second goal.

Steve Kuhne levelled for the home side after 53 minutes, tapping in after Conroy parried a Stebbing shot, and they went ahead for the first time on the hour through Liam Harrold who intercepted a short back pass from Kevin Childs.

Stebbing extended Stones' advantage after 70 minutes, collecting a Ross Watson pass and turning to shoot home but Ian Dunn's glancing effort from a Childs centre five minutes later kept the Tigers in the hunt.

The visiting challenge was quickly killed off by Stebbing. He restored the two goal margin after 76 minutes, netting fromclose range after Harrold's header came back off the crossbar, and completed an eight minute hat trick two minutes later after Harrold flicked on Kevin Ainslie's long throw. 

Blackstones: Ian Flavell, Robbie Blowers, Ross Watson, Paul Sheehan, Richard Jones, Andy Lodge, Andy Boome (Dan Cotton), Luke Kennedy, Steve Kuhne (Liam Harrold), Phil Stebbing, Kevin Ainslie.

Holbeach: Nicky Conroy, Max Coupland, Adam Jackson, Mark Thompson, Dean Elston, Ross Nichols, Omar Joof, Kevin Childs, Ian Dunn, Antonio Pascu, Matt Warfield.