The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
HOLBEACH UTD 1
LEICESTER NIRVANA 1
Top scorer Lewis Leckie ended his personal goal drought on Saturday – but his Holbeach United side had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Leicester Nirvana.
Leckie, who hadn’t notched since the 3-0 victory over St Andrews on January 6, opened the scoring with a fortunate finish on 35 minutes of the ChromaSport UCL Premier Division clash at Carter’s Park.
However, the Tigers were pegged back by a clinical Jordan Nelson finish just before the interval.
Seb Hayes’ side almost pinched a dramatic late winner when Spencer Tinkler saw his last-gasp header cleared off the line, but were ultimately forced to settle for a draw that leaves them six points off the pace in fifth place.
Hayes, who was serving the fourth game of his stadium ban, said: “The lads tell me that we were the better side in the first half, but that Nirvana deserved something after their second half show.
“I think Nirvana are a top side and we might look back on this point as a good one come the end of the season.
“That goal was big for Lewis Leckie. He needed one to go in off his backside and that’s pretty much what he got.
“We need him – and indeed Will Bird – firing again if we want to start winning games.”
After making the better start, Holbeach were unlucky not to open the scoring when Joe Smith rattled the bar.
However, Leckie – on as an 18th-minute sub for the injured Charley Sanders – scored with lucky 35th-minute effort that deflected off him and looped over Chay Carter to give the Tigers the lead moments later.
Holbeach almost added to their lead when Luke Avis twice drew saves from Carter, while Tinkler also headed an effort just wide.
They were made to pay for their misses, too, with Jordan Nelson picking out the bottom corner just before the break to level the scores.
After the interval James Bessey-Saldanha and Gurdeep Mudhar both had big chances to give the visitors the lead, with the latter denied by a brilliant block from Tinkler.
The Tigers struggled to create chances in the second period, but almost won it in the final minute when Tinkler’s header from a Mitch Griffiths corner was kicked off the line.
The draw somewhat dents Holbeach’s title aspirations, but they’re still nicely positioned as the season enters its final stretch.
Holbeach’s game at PNS on Tuesday night was snowed off.
Tigers: Drury, Harker (Bird 68), Braithwaite, Cartwright, N Jackson, Smith, Tinkler, A Jackson, Zuerner (Griffiths 55), Avis, Sanders (Leckie 18).
