Disappointed Hadleigh boss Holder: 'We were the better team even with 10 men'
Hadleigh United boss Steve Holder could not hide his disappointment after their Boxing Day 1-1 home draw with rivals Brantham.
The Brettsiders dropped points at Millfield after going a goal up on the hour through winger Josh Folkes, who recently signed from Ipswich Wanders, but teenage substitute Reece Josselyn equalised for the Imps.
Hadleigh went down to nine men when George Bowman was shown red for verbally abusing a referee's assistant, this followed Lloyd Clarke's first half dismissal for frustratingly kicking out off the ball after being held back.
"We take a point but we should have won," said a frustrated Holder. "We were the better team with ten men but going down to nine made it more difficult.
" A bit of lack lustre defending late on has costs us but we have had had the game won. Two quick games in succession didn't help and there were some heavy legs out there."
While Holder did not question the red cards, he was less than impressed with the officials, in particular the assistant that failed to understand that Carlos Edwards had taken a cheeky corner and had left the ball ready for team mate to dribble towards the box. Instead the clueless officials stepped on to the pitch and picked the ball up to place back next to the corner flag. Bizarrely the referee then gave Brantham the free kick after Hadleigh players berated the linesman. Shambolic all round.
Holder said: "It is especially annoying because we told the referee before the game, what we might do. Carlos has even told the linesman as he took the corner so for him then to go on the pitch and pick the ball up was incredible.
"They should not be officiating at this level if they can't get the simple things like that right. Not only that but he missed a number of offside, including one for their goal."
Although Folkes opened the scoring early in the second half when his shot squirmed through Finn Shorten's initial save to trickle over the line Brantham equalised after Bowman's dismissal when Josselyn netted his second goal in as many games, rounding Nick Punter before sliding the ball in.
Holder said: "The sending offs were a bit naive. Lloyd kicked out he was being held and he knew should not have done that.
"Bowman has to keep his mouth shut. He has upset the team more because we needed him at that time."
Brantham boss Pip Boyland was delighted with his side's fourth point over the Christmas weekend after beating Lakenheath 2-0 on Saturday.
He said: "I'm satisfied because we knew it was going to be a typical, hard fought Boxing Day derby. This is always a tough place to come with points and bragging rights to be had."
Brantham initially struggled to get a grip in an uncompromising game, but they kept their disciplined and nerve, as Hadleigh went down to nine men.
Boyland added: "I'm pleased with the way we kept good discipline. Keeping your discipline helps you as a player and as a team, and in keeping your shape.
"There is lots I was happy with although we had chances but didn't quite take them.
"We were a bit rushed in the final third we did not keep the ball as we can and we know that. We huffed and puffed and it would be easy to let them get away from us. But we held on and came back in what I felt was a hard fought typical Boxing Day game."
Player manager Boyland who was playing at centre half has been impressed with substitute striker Josselyn and delighted he cored again.
"Reece is a diamond in the rough," said Boyland. "Every opportunity he has had, he has done well really pleased for him.
His pace is electric and he can finish he has shown that. He is always threat there are things he can work on and we know that, but at his age it is acas of letting him express, otherwise you can over-complicate things and it can go the other way."
Shotley boy Josselyn hit a cracker on Saturday, and while this equaliser was a simpler effort, it was still a good finish although Boyland doesn't have a favourite.
He said: "I'm pleased with both because they went in."
Hadleigh go Thetford on Saturday, while Brantham entertain Soham Town Rangers, 3pm at the Leisure centre.
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