Hollands & Blair 4 Lordswood 0

Match 26/16/1334 - Wednesday, 14th September 2016 - Southern Counties East

Hollands & Blair (2) 4 Lockyer 8, McDonald 40, Simon 47, Staff 80
Lordswood (0) 0
Attendance: 126

Entrance: £4 Senior
Programme: £1.50
Mileage: 45/2,468

The ball dropped 20 yards from goal and with a wave of the magic wand that was the right foot of the wizard it sailed into the top corner past a spellbound Harry Potter. No, it wasn't quite Hogwarts, but Star Meadow and the wizard was Jack Simon, but when you've a goalkeeper called Harry Potter on the field, it was too good a tale not to embellish.

Since my first visit to Star Meadow on a freezing cold night in January, there have been some changes other than a much warmer evening. The entrance to the ground has been moved to the opposite corner and entry brings you directly to a new covered seating enclosure that holds not too many but probably satisfies the ground grading people for Step Six.

On the management side, the long-serving Paul Piggot has left to be replaced as manager by Bryan Greenfield and the free-scoring Rob Denness has joined Greenwich. The club have done well though to retain the services of the Southern Counties East leading goalscorer from last season, James McDonald.

Lordswood started the season well and topped the table but recently have taken a couple of heavy defeats and found themselves quickly on the back foot against Hollands. Justin Ascheri clipped the top of the bar in the opening minute and McDonald pulled an opportunity narrowly wide of the post a minute later. Lordswood's luck was not to hold though and Gary Lockyer hooked a shot over his shoulder to give the hosts a seventh minute lead.

A fine through ball sent McDonald clear, leaving Potter helpless as the clinical striker doubled Hollands advantage in the 39th minute.

Just two minutes had elapsed in the second period when Simon performed his piece of magic. Although the half remained one-sided it took the hosts until ten minutes from time to add a fourth when Tom Staff climbed at the far post to head home a corner.