‘I’m chuffed for the boys’
Holyport FC: Sweetman guides Holyport to survival despite final day defeat to newly promoted Southall
They squandered a lot of points in the early weeks of the season – a combination of youthful inexperience and a lack of quality to blame for that – but Holyport's improvement over the course of the second half of the season means they deserve to stay up, according to manager Derek Sweetman.
Just one win from their opening 15 league matches made them heavy favourites for relegation straight back to step 6 football towards the back end of last year, but hard work on the training pitch and the gradual rebuild of the squad has led them to seven crucial league victories since.
In the end they stayed up on goal difference from bottom club CB Hounslow United after both clubs lost on the final day, Holyport to promoted Southall 1-0 and Hounslow 4-0 away at North Greenford United.
Port were difficult to break down in their final game but they switched off just once, allowing Anthony O'Connor time and space to head home in the 45th minute.
Speaking after the final whistle on Saturday, Sweetman said: “The points that we squandered over the first part of the season could have come back and bitten us, but fortunately, we've managed to put a decent run together with the group of players we've got.
“I think the last 10 games we've been competitive and difficult to break down and we just didn't quite have the rub of the green at times.
“We came here with a game plan to try and frustrate them, and not allow them any time or space and the boys stuck to that 100 per cent.
“The goal right on the stroke of halftime
was a bit of a killer because it was a free header. It's hard enough trying to score goals but when you let people score it's even harder. I'm chuffed to pieces for the boys, I think they've given everything as they normally do.”
Port tried to push in the second half because they weren't aware of the situation at North Greenford United, where relegation rivals CB Hounslow
United were manfully holding on for a draw into the final 10 minutes, despite having been reduced to 10 men in the opening five minutes. Then there was great relief - amongst Holyport's supporters in the stands at least - as it emerged North Greenford had finally taken the lead.
Sweetman said: “We had one text come through that said 2-0 but obviously we couldn't confirm it. I feel relieved. We were worried (they'd hold on for a goalless draw) so we knew we had to push it to try and get something back. We said at the beginning of the afternoon that we're coming here to try and get something, we're not just coming in to join their promotion party, and fair play to the boys they were superb defensively. It's been a long, tough, season but we've stayed in on our own right, albeit on goal difference. We rebuilt the squad twice.”
Sweetman hopes the team's experiences this season, and brush with relegation, will stand them in better stead to improve in the division next season. As players and coaches, they've all been on a learning curve, and he believes that will help them to hit the ground running in August.
“Hopefully we can, that's the idea. The set up as it is we've got youngsters coming through,” he said.
“It's difficult for young players in atmospheres like that, sometimes they freeze but fortunately, with the group we've got they tend to thrive on it.
“We wanted to give a good account of ourselves, and they've (Southall) beaten us twice by small margins. If we can play like that in more games, it gives us a better chance of staying in the league again next season. That will be the aim as it's got to be all the time.
“We don't have a budget, the players don't get paid, but they turn up and play in all weathers and travel miles for us. It's reward for them that they've got an opportunity to come back and at least try it again next year.
“They're chuffed, and I'm chuffed for them as well.”