Holyport still hoping to cap off season of progress with silverware in Premier Challenge Cup

Photo: Jonathan Bowker Photography

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Holyport manager Sam Lock insisted the players were fighting for an opportunity to feature in Saturday's Premier Challenge Cup semi-final against either Flackwell Heath or Colliers Wood United, after Saturday's deflating 3-0 loss to North Greenford United saw them stay in 16th place.

Port have been in mixed form of late and their hectic schedule of eight games in 18 days appeared to catch up with them in Saturday's disappointing away defeat.

Lock's side had played well in an impressive 3-2 win over second placed Egham Town on Thursday evening, where Alfie Pendlebury, Samuel Jones and Junayd Faria Shawwal found the target. But they couldn’t match those energy levels on Saturday against a Greenford side who netted three times in the second half, despite being reduced to 10 men in the 50th minute when Joe Gritt was sent off.

They still have two matches to play to complete their league season, at Edgeware & Kingsbury tomorrow evening (Tuesday) and home to London Lions on May 1. However, in between those they still have the chance to round off a campaign of progress with some silverware.

“I thought it was very even in the first half,” Lock told Holyport's Jay Harvey after the final whistle.

“But we didn't create an awful lot to be honest. Second half, they got their goal with a good finish. And then I think the worst thing that could have happened was them going down to 10 men, because they were able to sit in this deep shape and we lacked the ideas, creativity and energy to break them down.

“Their second goal was just soft to be honest. I am disappointed, but looking at the bigger picture here, we're rotating players and moving things around. I want to compete in every game we can, and I think the attitude has been right, but when you're playing that many games, you have to move players around and tinker with things.

“It's been tiring for everyone involved. It's unprecedented (the number of games Holyport are having to play in a short space of time).

“I think the league must have a look at it because player welfare is going completely out of the window. But we're not the only club that's going through it. I'm disappointed in the league that they've created this mess to be honest.”

Lock admitted Saturday's semi-final was now in the back of the players' minds, and he said starting places are still up for grabs going into the tie off the back of an indifferent run of form.

“In the nicest way possible, people are now playing for an opportunity to play in the semi-final,” he added. “If people are not performing then they're not going to play.

“That's in the back of our minds now. The main thing is bouncing back in a positive way on Tuesday.

“We're guaranteed to have two more games this season, but we want four.

“It's getting to the point where we're just churning games out and trying to do the best we can. We're having to rotate a lot; some players haven't played in two months. We're asking a hell of a lot of people and it's not fair.

“But ultimately, our mentality has been very good when we've had little setbacks like today. We'll rotate again on Tuesday and then we'll leave everything we possibly have out there on Saturday.”

On the other side of the league cup draw Ascot United host North Greenford United in the other semi-final on Saturday (April 29) and the winners of both ties will meet in the final in May (details to be confirmed).