Holder happy as Hadleigh keep pressure on leaders with another entertaining three goal win
By Derek Davis
30th Oct 2022 | Local Sport
Just like an experienced long distance runner staying on the shoulder of the race leader, Steve Holder's Hadleigh are happy to bide their time to top the Thurlow Nunn Easter Counties Premier league.
After taking their unbeaten run to 10 games, including eight successive victories, with a comfortable 3-0 win over Mildenhall in front of 169 spectators at Millfield, the Hadleigh boss was quietly satisfied.
The Brettsiders stay second as leaders Thetford won at Long Melford but Hadleigh but while he prefers to see his side play good passing football on the pitch, Holder is happy to play the long game in terms of the league.
"I'm quite happy where we are to be honest" said Holder. "It keeps the pressure on them, they are always looking over rather shoulder.
"There is no pressure on us, We should not even be there according to some, we should be near the bottom, so we are happy."
Although not wanting to tempt fate, or take anything for granted, Holder pointed to the previous occasion Hadleigh went on such a convincing winning run - back in the 2013.14 season,
He said: "The last time Hadleigh won eight in a row, they went on to win the title. That was great moment in the club's history.
"It is an achievement to win three or four in a row in this league so to get eight wins in a row, and it was only a last minute penalty to deny us when we drew, is incredible."
Mildenhall could not cope with Hadleigh's intensity straight from the whistle.
Angus Mills caused problems down the right flank and his cross was fumbled by keeper Josh Pope, brother of England and Newcastle United stopper Nick. Jack Baker responded quickest and nodded in his seventh of the campaign.
It then became the Owen Betts show when he pounced on a good through ball, left the defenders for dead before cooly placing the ball inside the far post past Pope.
Betts also hit a thunderous thirty yarder against the crossbar before wrapping the game up early in the second half with another fine finish, to take his tally to seven goals in nine games, one of them from the bench.
Little wonder crowds are creeping up at Millfield with hadleigh's attractive football, only pragmatic when needed.
"We like to play football," Holder said. "We have a lot of players who are comfortable on the ball, and can play football and not just go long.
"If players are not comfortable on the ball at this level then they should not be playing in this league.
"I trust all my players, I bring my subs on every week because I trust them too."
Good autumnal weather, on a well maintained pitch helps, but Holder is confident they will still do well when thing inevitable change.
He said: "The good weather has helped and we may change it bit when the pitches get a bit sticky but we are lucky we can mix it up if needed.
"Not many teams are able to put it about and play, but we can do both."
The Brettsiders showed their sweet skills, good tempo, ability to take chances and defend resolutely, while Mildenhall resorted to niggly tackles and part from a five minute period before half time offered little in the way of positive football.
Holder summed it up and said: "We dominated possession from start to finish We got an early goal, as we have been doing, git another before half-time and the one after killed the game.
"We saw the game out and the most important thing for me then was the clean sheet. Punter has made a coupe of good saves towards the end of the first half but they never really troubled us."
The visitors could easily have gone down to nine men, especially when Kieran Twinn went in on Nick Punter studs up and late, but only got yellow.
The referee also deemed Adam Capel had not been the last man when Betts was brought down.
Holder questioned the decision not to dismiss Twinn, but was relieved his keeper was not seriously injured.
"That should have been a red card." he said. "You don''t like to see players sent off but it was reckless at best and high. The linesman had good view of I would have thought he would have said. The main thing though is Punts is okay.
They were probably lucky to still have 11 men on he field at the end."
"It is good to see the attendances are going up and people are leaving happy, so the club is happy."
Hadleigh go to Fakenham Town next Saturday, then entertain Walsham Le Willow at Millfield on Saturday, November 12.
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