Port need to find winning formula to avoid the drop
It looks as though Holyport will have to win at least one of their remaining games to avoid relegation after Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Reading City.
On the face of it, a point at home against City isn’t a dreadful result and manager Derek Sweetman was more than satisfied with their display.
However, CB Hounslow United’s unexpected 1-0 win at Spelthorne Sports has seen them exchange places with Port at the bottom.
It seems likely just one side will be relegated from the Combined Counties Premier Division North table this season and, as it stands, that will be Holyport unless they can pick up the points they need for safety from their remaining games at home to Wokingham & Emmbrook and away to second placed Southall.
Port fell behind after only 13 minutes at Summerleaze Park but responded before the interval, Ashley Hunt flicking home an equaliser in the 24th minute.
They created numerous chances to score the winner but were denied by their own wasteful finishing and some brave blocks and stops from Reading’s defenders and goalkeeper. They also had what looked a stonewall penalty claim turned down in the dying minutes, a decision that left Sweetman incensed.
“We dominated the second half and did everything but score,” he said.
“We also had a very dubious call from the referee not to give us a penalty. Our player was in front going into the penalty area and he was clipped from behind, it was loud enough for everyone to hear. You heard the clap on the boot. But the referee said it wasn't a penalty because he made a genuine attempt to play the ball and missed it.
“It left everyone on both benches shaking their head and he made one or two other funny decisions. He was bad for both sides, so it’s not just sour grapes but he denied us a goalscoring opportunity and that could prove very costly.”
They’ll hope to get back to winning ways against Wokingham on Monday (April 18), 11.30am kick-off at Summerleaze Park. They go into the game just a point behind CB Hounslow United who have one game left to play, at North Greenford United on the final day.
“Someone told us just after we'd finished our team talk after the game that they'd (CB Hounslow) lost but, when I asked them to check, they came back to us and said 'oh no, they’ve won 1-0.
“As you can imagine that left everyone feeling deflated when we felt that we'd played well enough to win our game.
“But it's a case of now having to do it the hard way by getting points off Wokingham and maybe even Southall on the final day.
“CB Hounslow have one game left away to North Greenford who got hammered 6-0 on Saturday but have been a fairly settled top six side.
“I'm just fully focused on getting us sorted for the bank holiday Monday game against Wokingham and we’ll give it our best shot. It's going to be tough, no doubt, but they'll hopefully be saying the same thing about us.
“Three points would be very nice, and If we can hang on and remain in this division next season, I would look on that as a positive.”