Anniversary triumph for Hollins

Hollins Holme celebrated 50 years of Halifax Sunday League football with a major trophy success last night.
Hollins Holme after their 2-1 win over Lee Mount in the Halifax FA Sunday Cup finalHollins Holme after their 2-1 win over Lee Mount in the Halifax FA Sunday Cup final
Hollins Holme after their 2-1 win over Lee Mount in the Halifax FA Sunday Cup final

The Calder Valley side, founders members of the league in 1968, lifted the Eddie Hebblethwaite Halifax FA Sunday Cup with a 2-1 victory over Lee Mount.

For the second evening running at the Shay, underdogs came from behind to win after Greetland had upset Sowerby Bridge 3-2 in Monday’s Halifax AFL Challenge Cup final.

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A goal each for strike pair George Bamford and Chris Garbutt did the trick after Jack Normanton had fired Lee Mount in front approaching the mid-point of the first half.

Hollins were repeating their 2014 success in this competition, which came against Halifax Hammers at Brighouse Town.

Steve Parker, who has since replaced Joel Booth as manager, felt Hollins were worthy winners of the competition after beating the Sunday League’s ‘big three’ with earlier successes against Waiters Arms and Hammers.

It looked as if it might not be Hollins’ night when Mount survived an early scramble in their goalmouth. Three efforts in and around the six yard box were blocked before the ball was cleared.

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The impressive Jack Gormley, probably the best player on the pitch, flashed a shot just wide and James Chadwick headed over from one of numerous long throws sent in to the heart of the area by human catapult Ryan Jeffreys.

Lee Mount were playing the neater football at this stage and Normanton, having found his range with a couple of earlier efforts not far from the target, gave his side the lead on 21 minutes with a shot from outside the box which went over keeper Rob Laycock.

Gormley lunged at a Bamford cross but could not make a clean contact with the goal beckoning and Lee Mount, who were trying to bring talented front pair Callum Meade and Jason Carney into play, might have doubled their lead on the break.

Hollins had failed to make their height tell at corners and long throws but drew level five minutes before half time when Greg Spink returned a cleared ball into the Lee Mount area, James Chadwick helped it on and Bamford spun and knocked it home from 10 yards.

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Mount’s Trent Coulter hit the top of the bar from 20 yards shortly after half time but his side’s threat waned from then on and there were misplaced passes from both sides.

The winner came on 69 minutes when Gormley hung the ball up at the far post and Garbutt, player-boss of Saturday side Hebden Royd Red Star, headed home.

Bamford nodded over the bar and his low cross might have brought a second goal for Garbutt as Hollins looked to seal matters.

Mount belatedly made some substitutions and pressed but had lost some of their composure and control and their opponents held on without any major alarms.

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Hollins Holmes: Rob Laycock, Ryan Jeffreys, Jake Allott, Richard Laycock, Andrew Butterworth, James Chadwick, Jack Gormley, Greg Spink, George Bamford, Joe Gibson, Vhris Garbutt. Subs: Tom Barclay, Joe Fielding, Sam Tattersall, Matthew Thompson.

Lee Mount: Gareth Gaukroger, Rohan Ford, Peter Walker, Paul Fiander, Danny Hildred, Trent Coulter, Jack Normanton, Jordan Pettifor, Jason carney, Nick Caulfield, Callum Meade. Subs: Bad Brocklehurst, Matthew Horsfall, Dez Morris, Liam Normanton, Jordan Ryder.

Referee: Mick Denton.