Hotspur aim for double over top
...AFTER NARROW WIN OVER BASEMENT BOYS
HOLYHEAD Hotspur will target a notable double when they welcome Huws Gray Alliance leaders Caernarfon Town to the New Stadium this Saturday (2.30pm), reports Gareth Davies.
Campbell Harrison’s side sprang a big surprise in the second week of the season when they defeated the Canaries 2-1 at The Oval.
Town had not lost in 12 league outings since, heading into Boxing Day’s derby with Porthmadog, the result of which was not known when the Mail went to press.
Hotspur’s subsequent form has been erratic, but Harrison’s charges got back to winning ways last weekend with a 1-0 result at basement club Llandudno Junction.
Following three successive away defeats, the Holy Islanders triumphed thanks to a solitary goal from predator Mel McGinness with barely 10 minutes to go.
In truth they should have put the game to bed much earlier only for a catalogue of missed opportunities preventing a much more emphatic scoreline.
The visitors only contrived to bag the winner after the hosts had been reduced to 10 men when Junction’s Luke Fountain saw red for violent conduct just over midway into the second period.
The all-important goal came from the smallest man on the pitch McGinness, who leapt like a salmon above everyone in a crowded goalmouth, getting his head to a cross with the ball just going in despite the efforts of Junction’s keeper to keep the ball out. The assistant referee made the decision for the goal which under the circumstances was a very courageous one.
Junction went close after only two minutes when Dean Seager broke through but his effort was barely inches over the crossbar.
It was nip and tuck before a flurry of Holyhead chances arrived. John Littlemore passed to Dean Garmey whose shot fizzed just wide of the upright on 25, then Mike Kelly was foiled just on the goal-line while Mel McGinness just failed to connect with a volley from a Dan McGinness cross.
Soon after Alex Jones’ attempt went just wide, then Dewi Thomas was inches over with a stinging shot that had the keeper well beaten.
Keeper Paul Pritchard punted a long ball on 38 minutes to Littlemore, who found Ryan Taylor but his strike cleared the bar.
Kelly’s shot seemed destined for the top far corner but Junction keeper Keighan Jones somehow got a hand to it and tipped it over the bar.
To everyone’s amazement the referee signalled for a goal kick while everyone else at the ground could see it was a corner.
A minute after the break Littlemore’s shot went close. On 61 Mel McGinness had a great attempt blocked near the goal-line, the ball rebounding to Taylor who squeezed it inches the wrong side of the upright.
Pritchard then made a fine save from Bryan Roberts as Junction sensed Hotspur’s many wasted chances gave them hope of pinching the points.
Again on 65 minutes the hosts almost struck when a corner beat everyone in the goalmouth but then on 70 came the red card for Fountain. Ten minutes from the end came the defining moment as McGinness’ header sailed home just under the crossbar for the winner.
Considering how Holyhead had peppered the Junction goal justice was done, even though they had made heavy weather of it.