Hollins secure best finish in their history
Hollins Holme secured their best ever league finish since they formed in 1968 when a 2-1 home win over Old Pond guaranteed them second place in the Ziggys Metro Cars Halifax Sunday League. Holme have just one game left - at home to champions Carrington next Sunday - to round off a memorable season after gaining promotion last time out.
Hollins were without a number of players including Andrew Butterworth, James Chadwick and James Cowans, but still marched into a 2-0 lead by the interval.
Rhys Dean continued up front with Steven Parkin starting in a three-man central defence alongside Rob Stansfield and Mattthew Thompson.
Jordan Dean fired the home side ahead with a volley from a long throw before Jamie Gwilliam added a second following a great move down the right involving Greg Spink and Joe Fielding.
The second half saw Old Pond come into the game and their long ball tactic kept Hollins on their toes.
Keeper Chris Garbutt was also called on to make a couple of fine saves before he was finally beaten on the hour. Mount Tabor signed off their promotion-winning Division One campaign with a 3-2 home win over a Royd Club side who still need points from their fi- nal game at home to bottom club Rastrick BC on Sunday if they are to avoid the same fate as their rivals.
Royd gave it a good go with James Redmond putting them ahead after a fine move.
Tabor hit back to level when Matty Helliwell was fouled in the box and Andy Parker stepped up to net from the spot.
Redmond underlined Royd’s fighting spirit when he put the visitors ahead for the second time. However, his hard work was undone by another incident in the box which saw Adam Helliwell go tumbling - the same player picking himself up to score the penalty.
An evenly-matched second half saw both sides pressing for the winner and it was Tabor who secured the points through Andrew Bottomley’s cracking 20 yard shot into the top corner.
Redmond was still a threat and it needed a stunning save from Tabor’s Darrell Ashford to prevent the front man notching a hat- trick and a share of the spoils.
Ryburn Valley secured fourth place in the table with a final day 3-2 win at Queens Head.
Queen’s Head opened up a 2-0 lead with goals from their man of the match Scott Fieldhouse and Jordan Peel.
Valley regrouped in fine style and star performer Dayle Maquire, along with Craig Davison and Carl Reynolds, scored the goals that earned the win.