Nine-man Punjab United beat Holmesdale on a cold Tuesday night in the SCEFL Premier Division.

Both teams have had an excellent start to the season with Holmesdale being 3rd place with 20 points after 13 games and Punjab being 4th with 19 points after 9 games.

Both teams looked lively in the opening moments but Holmesdale were the team to strike first with a corner which was originally saved by Owen Bushell but Jack Church was there to strike home to make it 1-0 and score his 8th of the season in the 7th minute.

That goal seemed to wake Punjab up and were on level terms after a corner was headed away but fell to captain Steve Ratcliff who thundered it home to make it 1-1 in the 10th minute.

After a hectic 10 minutes, the game seemed to relax with both teams attacking each other but no clear cut chances for either team and that brought the game to a stop for half time.

Into the second half and the game seemed to have livened up with both teams creating some great chances but unable to have that cutting edge.

The best chance of the game fell to Punjab with Bradley Ryan being played through but was unable to apply the finish and was eventually saved by the keeper.

After that chance, you knew there was a goal coming soon for either team but in the end it fell to Punjab. A clearance by Chris Edwards which wasn’t dealt with by the Holmesdale defence put Hudson Scudder through on the wing who played an inch-perfect pass to Bradley Ryan who made no mistake and fired it home to make it 2-1 in the 62nd minute.

That goal seemed to wake Holmesdale up and started creating some great chances where Jack Church was played through on goal, took it around the keeper but was brilliantly cleared by Wayne Bushell off the line to protect Punjab’s lead.

But it was Punjab who gave themselves a two goal advantage. A foul was given after Hudson Scudder was taken out. From 25 yards out, Ryan Hayes stepped up and fired it home from the free-kick to make it 3-1 in the 73rd minute.

From there Punjab managed the game well and there was not much action until the 90th minute. Reece Deakin, who was already on a yellow card, was given an early bath after he supposedly dived and Punjab were down to 10 men. 

It then went from 10 to 9. Punjab was given a free kick, and just as the whistle was blown Kyden Thomas kicked the ball away. With him also on a booking, he was sent off and Punjab had to play the last moments with 9 men. 

In the end it didn’t matter as Punjab were victorious 3-1 and kept their unbeaten start to the season going putting them in second place, 7 points behind leaders VCD Athletic but with a game in hand. Punjab’s next game is away to Whitstable Town on Saturday.

For Holmesdale, it meant that they have gone 4 games without a home win and drop to 4th in the table. Holmesdale’s next game is at home to Kennington FC.

Holmesdale – Aldous, Lugboso (O.Williams 82), Musoke (C), Evans, Smart, Macauley (Murray 89), Ward (Yeboah 74), Bayford, Heywood-Oriogun, Church, James (D.Williams 71).

Sub Not Used: Brown

Punjab United – O.Bushell, Edwards, Thomas, W.Bushell, Ratcliff (C), Hopkins, Hayes, Allassani (Campbell 68), Deakin, Ryan, Scudder.

Subs not Used: Probets, Vines, Hussain, Barry. 

HT 1-1 FT 1-3 

Goals – HFC – Church 7 mins. PUFC – Ratcliff 10 mins, Ryan 62 mins, Hayes 73 mins. 

Referee: Dylan Wood

ATT: 42

Pictures supplied by Vijay Bedesha.