‘Nit-picking’ after Holyport’s 8-3 win
Sweetman not completely satisfied by Kidlington rout
Holyport FC put their promotion hopes firmly back on track with an
8-3 victory over Kidlington Development at Summerleaze Village on Saturday, but manager Derek Sweetman wasn’t completely satisfied with his side’s display.
Sweetman joked that he was nit-picking, and it was hard to find fault with his side’s clinical display. But their sloppy start and finish to the match, which saw Kidlington grab three goals took the ‘gloss off ’ another big win for the side.
It leaves Port in fifth position as they chase a top four finish which will be good enough for promotion this season.
With games in hand over many of their rivals for promotion, they’re still well placed to do it, but results have tailed off since the new year, with the side losing back-to-back matches against Risborough Rangers and Chalvey Sports and drawing with Wokingham & Emmbrook.
“It was one of our biggest wins,” said Sweetman.
“I was disappointed with the first 10 minutes, and we conceded twice in the final five minutes, so it wasn’t quite the perfect day, but that’s nit-picking.
“We were very clinical. I’ve been banging on for a while about putting teams to bed when we’ve got them on the rack and the lads didn’t disappoint this week. The lads took their chances and everything they hit went in. They got it back to 8-3 at the end which takes the gloss off it for me, but I can’t ask for anymore from the lads.”
Port will now play Long Crendon twice in the space of a few days, starting at Summerleaze on Saturday before playing the reverse fixture away on Tuesday.
Sweetman would rather not play the same side twice in quick succession, and thinks ‘bad blood’ can be carried over from one game to the next.
“They’re in a similar position to us in the table,” said the manager.
“So we could do with picking up the three points, but then we play them again on Tuesday which I absolutely hate. That’s ridiculous really.
“If you play them in the first game and do well you expect to beat them in the second, and it doesn’t always work out. And if there’s bad blood on Saturday that carries over into the Tuesday game. That makes things a little bit more difficult for the officials. Not that I’m expecting that.
“We’re finely placed at the moment but if we can pick up some points over the next few months we’ll have a better idea of what we need to do in the run in.”