The stage is it seems always set for returning players to do well at their former clubs and on a bitterly cold Tuesday night at Star Meadow, it was honours even after returning strikers netted both goals in a 1-1 draw.
After former Blair striker Dean Grant had powerfully headed the visitors in front from a corner, former Lydd striker Richard Atkins magnificently got on the end of a flowing Blair move to thump home the equaliser moments later.
And despite numerous second half chances – two of which were superbly cleared off the line by young Finn Whitton – the visitors could not find a way past Dan Ellis in the Blair goal on a night to remember for Blair midfielder Louis Valencia who received a presentation from the Club prior to kick off on the occasion of 300 appearances for Blair.
Grant had the game’s first chance early on, but Ellis pulled off the first of a series of good saves to beat the ball out and was extended again from new Lydd signing Eri-Oluwu Akintimehin as the former Whitstable Town man shot low and Ellis did well to turn the ball round the post.
The home side hadn’t heeded the warning and from the corner Grant rose highest to power a header into the bottom corner. And it was from the visitors’ next corner that Blair levelled.
The ball was cleared and after a swift break the ball was crossed from the left to brilliantly power a header past keeper Connor Collins and the game was all level.
Akintimehin got down the left and hit in a low drive which Ellis got down well to tip round the post. Ellis then turned provider with a huge clearance that released Sam Stace and his cross shot whizzed across the face of goal without any red shirt being able to apply a finishing touch.
The break came at the wrong time for the home side as in the second period it was the visitors who upped the tempo.
Grant saw a volley superbly turned aside by Ellis and in their next attack, Whitton was on hand to magnificently deny Ronnie Dolan as the Lydd midfielder slid in to try and force the ball over the line.
As the game wore on, the battle between Grant and the Blair central defenders – Rob Gillman and Matt Bourne – really was a joy to behold as the temperatures dropped.
Grant would have been disappointed not to have hit the target with a free header from another corner whilst Troy Howard fired a shot across the face of goal.
Grant almost won it at the death as his first time cross from the right-wing thundered off the angle of post and bar and Whitton was again on hand to bail the home side out and hammer the ball away.
Honours even then but for the home side, their mini revival as it’s now just one win in eight games, this point also means that Scott Porter’s side have lost just once in their last four whilst James Rogers continues to scratch his head over Lydd’s inconsistency with three of their six League wins coming against the division’s top two – Faversham Town and Glebe – highlighting the struggles where the remaining eleven games have brought just a haul of twelve points!
HOLLANDS & BLAIR – Ellis, Whitton, Wright, Stace, Bourne, Gillman, Horley, Valencia (Peter-Brown), Harvey Welford, Atkins (Walmsley), Ukatu (Reeves)
Subs – Chiari, Shaun Welford
LYDD TOWN – Collins, Sedenu, Dickens, Smith, King, Robbie Dolan, Howard (Sterling)(Takaloo), Ronnie Dolan, Grant, Rogers, Akintimehin (Robbins)
Subs – Mortimer, Baker
REFEREE – Mr Olol