Hollands & Blair have had a spell of bad results for the last couple of weeks and this spell looks as if it’s going to continue after they come up short against Canterbury City who won 3-1 at Star Meadow.

Before the match today, both teams paid tribute with a one-minute silence to ex Blair player Peter Overton who sadly passed away this week.

Canterbury got us underway in the first half with some good attacking football and some early chances. However, Blair come out just as well with a great chance of their own. The first one of these chances coming from Jason Fregene whose chip through ball found David Abe but Abe was just offside. But Canterbury were quick to respond when a great through ball from Kyron Lightfoot found Kane Phillip who took the ball into the box and then took the shot, but Shaun Wickes calmly saved it.

Blair bounced back with their own chance when Fregene picked up on a great through ball, but his shot was saved by Jack Delo in goal. But it was Canterbury who took the lead on the 25th minute with the goal coming from Dean Grant. The ball found Grant in space who walked it into the box and then slotted it past Wickes into the bottom right corner. But 4 minutes later in the 29th minute, Blair got an equalizer! A lovely headed flick from Abe found Fregene who touched it round the Canterbury center back and then smashed it right into the top of the net to make it one a piece.

Blair looked like they had all the momentum after this goal as a great throw in from Reiss Crimmen found Abe in the box, but his touch took the ball behind up which Canterbury were quick to pick up.

Then a Blair freekick found Fregene at the front post who headed it back towards the back post, but the ref was quick to blow up for a free kick. Then another great ball from Fregene found Abe again who took it past the keeper, but the keeper was quick to get back and block Abe’s shot.

An intense first half was brought to an end with fans eager for the second half to start, wondering what team would come out on top.

Blair got us underway for the second half and straight away they had a goal disallowed! A good cross from Jordan Gallagher on the 48th minute was parried by Delo in goal into the back of the net, but the ref disallowed it. Blair then searched for this disallowed goal with a great corner going over everyone and even the keeper leaving the goal gaping, but no one was there to put it in.

But Canterbury stopped this attacking flow on the 57th minute when an outstanding freekick from Kyron Lightfoot was bent round the wall and past the keeper into the bottom right corner. Blair looked as if they were down and out after this goal as a Canterbury ball in was parried right into the danger area by Wickes in goal, but it was luckily cleared away.

It was looking like it was all going downhill for Blair as everything they tried seemed as if it just wasn’t working. Firstly, Abe got through on goal, but his heavy touch took the ball out for a goal kick and then Fregene’s shot was blocked and Abe’s header was comfortably saved and a freekick from Crimmen couldn’t find anyone in the box.

When you couldn’t believe it was going to get any worse for Blair as all their chances weren’t working out for them, it unfortunately did. A lovely through ball from substitute Dan Lawrence on the 81st minute found Grant who put the ball through Wickes’ legs and into the bottom left.

It got even worse for Blair as they went down to ten men after Charlie Plummer received his second yellow of the game after his challenge whilst fighting for the ball in the air. Then when you think Canterbury couldn’t rub any more salt into the wounds, they did when a right footed cross from Brett Ince in the 85th minute was left by Grant which surprised Wickes in goal which led him to making the wrong move so that the ball could just roll into the net, but to the surprise of all the fans the goal was disallowed for offside!

So, in the end it was Canterbury who come out with the Christmas present of three points, leaving Blair still under this poor spell of results but hopefully this spell will be broken when Blair welcome Sheppey United to Star Meadown on the 29th.

Hollands and Blair: Shaun Wickes, Harrison Pont, Reiss Crimmen, Lee Garlinge, Charlie Plummer, Billy Johnson, Jordan Gallagher, Ross Ibertson, Pat Bishenden, David Abe, Jason Fregene (Captain).

Subs: Jason Mensah for Billy Johnson (50th Minute), Jack Simon for Lee Garlinge (70th Minute) and Calvin Sedenu for Pat Bishenden (80th Minute)

Subs not used: Charlie Dale and Darren Blackburn.

Yellow Cards: Charlie Plummer (56th Minute and 85th Minute) and Reiss Crimmen (59th Minute).

Red Card: Charlie Plummer (85th Minute).

Canterbury City: Jack Delo, Michael Turner, James Nurden, Ollie Lee, Gary Sayer, Laurence Harvey (Captain), Kyron Lightfoot, Adam Woollcott, Jordan Casey, Dean Grant, Kane Phillip.

Subs: James Turner for Jordan Casey (19th Minute), Dan Lawrence for Kyron Lightfoot (70th Minute) and Kane Phillip for Brett Ince (75th Minute).

Subs not used: Josh Froggatt and Josh McCallum.

Yellow Cards: Kyron Lightfoot (39th Minute), Dean Grant (49th Minute) and Michael Turner (61st Minute).

Red Card: N/A

Referee: Aaron Conn

Assistants: Piotr Zachwieja and John Baigan.