The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Phil Barnes feels Holbeach United have pulled off a big transfer coup after enticing free-scoring forward Fraser Bayliss to join from rivals Boston Town.
Bayliss, who can play on the wing or in attack, has nine goals from 12 appearances this season – putting him among the top scorers in the league.
He was one of Barnes’ top summer targets and the Tigers chief is delighted to have finally got his man.
“Fraser is a great signing for us,” enthused the Holbeach boss. “I’m really pleased to have him here.
“I wanted him before the start of the season, but I think he was happy to stay local at Boston.
“For whatever reason, he’s decided that he now wants to come here and we’re really pleased to have him.
“He’ll bring a real goal threat as you can see by looking at the current top scorers in the league.”
Bayliss is expected to make his debut in tonight’s UCL KO Cup final against Rothwell Corinthians at Blackstones on Wednesday night (7.45pm).
Barnes says that he and his players want to lift the trophy – which us classed as the 2019/20 final – for their former team-mates and ex-boss Danny Hussey.
Then managed by Hussey, Holbeach reached the final back in February when Michael Frew’s goal shot down Loughborough University in a Carter’s Park semi-final – but the COVID-19 pandemic ended the season early and it was expected the final wouldn’t be played.
The likes of Nick Jackson, Liam Adams, Danny Setchell and Will Bird were all in the squad that day but have since moved on, but Holbeach have retained the vast majority of the squad.
Barnes is looking forward to the final and hopes to secure the Tigers’ first silverware since lifting the Lincolnshire FA Senior Trophy under Seb Hayes back in 2018.
He said: “It’s a big bonus for us that the final is being played. We obviously want to get our hands on some silverware for everyone involved at the club.
“But we also want to win it for Danny Hussey and those players who helped us get there but are no longer involved with the club.
“You always want to win a trophy and it’s great that the lads haven’t been denied the chance to play this final.”
