by BAILEY EWERS-SMITH

AFTER a hard-fought battle, Holland FC came up just short in their Thurlow Nunn League first division south fixture at home to Frenford.

Despite being the better side, they missed out on another three points and slid to a 2-1 defeat.

Holland needed a win to try and regain some traction in the table and move out of tenth place.

However, they stayed where they were prior to Saturday's match.

The game started with both teams pumped full of adrenaline and each looked determined to pick up an important victory in the battle for seventh place.

Holland were, without question, the better side at the beginning of the half and the match looked promising for home followers.

The organisation and tightly-bonded chemistry within the team showed a side that could go much further in the league.

Unfortunately, the game began to slip for the hosts as Frenford began to split Holland apart.

Frenford applied pressure and went close to scoring in the second part of the first half with a powerful shot from outside the box that darted just wide.

The first half came to a close and both teams knew the second period would be a lively affair.

This came true 13 minutes into the second half, following a handball in Holland’s box.

It provided the opening the opposition needed and defender Billy Whatling scored from the spot, into the lower right of the goal, to gain an advantage for the away side.

Despite the shake in confidence, Holland performed greater in the latter stages of the second half, in particular in attack.

The combination of Markel Greenridge, who signed in November from Wivenhoe Town, Steve Eaton and Jimmy Webb looked a top-level attacking force.

Despite this strength in attack, however, Holland were unable to pick up a goal for the majority of the second half.

To throw salt into the wound, a shot onto the crossbar and an easy header for Frenford midfielder George Fairhead gave Holland a harder mountain to climb.

Greenridge had a couple of attempts to get the first goal for his side, including a driving shot from long range that soared just over the bar.

In the midst of the second half, both teams began to lock horns and allowed neither to dominate.

Although Frenford were the leaders, Holland were still the better performing side for the second part of the second half.

Finally, 27-time scorer Eaton was able to score after multiple attempts at goal were saved.

Unfortunately, the pressure from Frenford was too overloading for them and the game finished with Holland missing out on the significant three points.

As a result, Holland stay in tenth position and are three points away from the teams each side of them.

They travel to 17th-placed Lopes Tavares for their next game on Saturday.