Chickerell UTD 1

HOLT UTD 0

WARREN White got the only goal of the game as Chickerell United picked up a valuable win over Holt United in the Magna Dorset Premier League.

The Chickens dominated the early exchanges with White giving them the lead on seven minutes just moments after seeing another goal-bound effort deflect over the top after hitting a defender on the back.

Scott Henley and Dan Welch also went close before Nick Etherington rounded the keeper in the sec- ond half, only to see his shot roll agonisingly across the goal-line and past the far post.

Trailing by just one, Holt sensed they could sneak a point in the closing stages and threw everything forward but Chickerell held firm to close the gap on their fifth-placed opponents to just two points with two games in hand.

Chickens’ boss Maurice Welch said: “For the first 20 minutes we were camped in their half but just could not get that second goal.

“They then had a good spell before half-time without really creating anything before we came out in the second half and played some of the best football we have produced all season.

“In fact, they could not get the ball off us for long periods but we still could not grab another and in the end we had to hang on after they pushed men forward in search of a late equaliser.”

Chickerell have now taken 10 points from their last four games and currently lie sixth.

Chickerell: Weeks, S Welch, Henley, Austin, Skelton, Lambert (Carlile 80), Miles, Welch, Walbridge, White, Etherington. Subs not used: Peck, Falcus.