Port give survival hopes huge shot in the arm
Holyport have given their survival hopes a massive shot in the arm with two victories in the space of just a few days against Wokingham & Emmbrook and Spelthorne Sports.
After going 16 games in all competitions without a win, Derek Sweetman's side have now claimed back-toback away wins to move off the bottom of the Combined Counties Premier Division North for the first time in months.
On Saturday they were competitive and resilient as they overcame Wokingham & Emmbrook 2-0 away from home, with Sam Whitfield and Ash Hunt scoring the goals in only their second league win of the season.
But a bit like buses, having waited so long for a victory, two came along at once with the side coming from behind to beat Spelthorne 2-1 on Tuesday with two late goals from Hunt.
Tuesday's win lifts the club above CB Hounslow United on goal difference ahead of Saturday's home game with fifth placed Abbey Rangers.
The victory also marked Daniel Rapley's 300th appearance for the club and, afterwards, he said he was glad to have reached the milestone at the club where he started out in the game aged 16.
“It's unbelievable,” said Rapley. “It just shows that our luck is starting to change.
“The heart has always been there, but it hasn’t been dropping for us in the last few months.
“Now it's starting to go our way and you've seen that tonight with the win. There's now a different atmosphere and a different buzz about the place.
“Reaching 300 appearances makes me feel old, but if I was to do it anywhere, it would be here, because this is where I started as a 16-year-old.
“I’m glad it was tonight, and we got the win, but it won’t mean anything on Saturday if we don’t get another win, so we’ll have to get the boys up and we’ll go again on Saturday.”
Port's match-winner, Hunt added: “It's an amazing feeling and it feels like we’ve become a proper team.
“Everyone is there for each other, fighting for each other. Whatever the situation now, it just feels like we can come back from it.”
Results are now starting to tally up with the club’s positive recent performances and there’s now genuine hope and optimism they can drag themselves away from relegation danger.