Hat Trick for Holden

A Robbie Holden hat trick secured a vital 3 points for Jeanfield on Saturday following a 3-1 victory over Hill of Beath Hawthorn at Riverside Stadium. The Swifts number 9 scored from close range in the 1st half before scoring twice inside 5 minutes midway through the second period to kill off the Fifers.

Following on from the cup win over Scone, Manager Ross Gunnion made only one change to the starting 11. Scott Mollison came into the side in the place of Lewis Baker who dropped down to the bench.

Heavy rain had fallen in Perth for the previous 36 hours but following a morning inspection the Riverside surface was deemed playable. The rain wet the surface which suited the home side who like to get the ball down and move it quickly.

The home side were first to threaten and Tony Holt set up Chris Scott in the wide area. Kiffy used his electric pace to beat his man and put in a good cross but there was no one on the end of it to knock the ball in to the net. Up the other end the was the Haws number 7 Calum Adamson who looked most likely to cause the Swifts defence problems.

The ball was slipped through to the forward and from a tight angle he bore down on the goal. Out came Mark Mitchell though to make the block and the ball was cleared by the home back line. Swifts were now starting to get a grip of the game and started to create chances of their own.

Holt had a shot from the edge of the box and is normally deadly from this range but this tame effort was easily handled by the away goalkeeper and then Lee Deans headed wide of the target after he met a Stevie McManus corner just outside the six yard box. However those 2 players were to be involved as Swifts took the lead in 23 minutes.

Deans collected a McManus corner at the far side of the box before crossing in to the crowded penalty area. The gaffer dummied the ball and it hit Holden on the knee cap leaving the keeper with no chance and giving Swifts the lead. Holden showing his penalty box instincts with that goal.

The last action of the half saw Hampson of Hill of Beath fire high and over the bar after turning inside leaving Jeanie with a half time lead.

Hampson was to threaten again early in the second half when the ball was played through to him. He looked to be getting there first but he did not count on the mad monk in the Swifts goal coming out and making a perfectly timed sliding tackle that would centre halves all over the world to shame. Not only that he managed to get to quickly and start an attack with a ball over the top but it came to nothing in the end.

That seem ed to gee up the Perth side and they started to take control of the game. A McManus free kick found Holden who headed back across but the goalkeeper got to the ball just before Deans pounced to knock it into the net. Swifts pace on the break then nearly saw them add to their goal tally.

The home defence blocked a shot and the ball fell to Kiffy Scott in front of the enclosure. Despite the best efforts of the Haws player to foul him, he ghosted past him before passing to Holt in the centre of the park. He shifted the ball wide to McManus whose well struck shot was tipped over for a corner. From the resultant corner Guinnions header was blocked on the line.

Soon all the Jeanfield pressure finally paid off. Mollison drifted inside and played a lovely ball over the defence to Holden. With defenders chasing him down how took a touch and fired in to the far corner of the net to double his and Swifts tally for the day. Very similar goal of that he scored against Camelon earlier in the campaign.

Minutes later Holden had his match ball. McManus picked up a pass in midfield and saw Holden making a great run away from his marker. Macca played an inch perfect pass and Holden cool as a cucumber slotted the ball past the keeper from the edge of the box. Vintage play from the on fire Swifts forward, His reward??? Replaced by Baker before play had restarted.

Baker was close to increasing the lead when he cut in from wide but his effort went of the post.

With 5 minutes of the match remaining Haws were awarded a penalty when Deans was punished for a foul on Wilson. Reid stepped up and fired low into the corner of the net despite Mitchell getting a hand to the ball.

Now this season when Swifts have conceeded a goal they have lost a minimum of 3 goals during that game. With so little time left in the game surely today was the day that the Streak ended.

Straight from kick off Swifts went back on the attack. Some neat interplay between Baker and Jack Parr who had come off the bench saw the on loan Cowdenbeath wide man cut inside but the shot was blocked.

The visitors ended the game with 10 men when Grierson was shown a red card following a last man challenge on Baker as he bore down on goal.

3 vital points for Swifts as others around them picked up points too.

A break fro league duty this weekend as St Andrews United travel to Perth in the second round of the Scottish Junior Cup. Relegated from the Super League last season the visiting side will be looking to get one over on one of the sides who replaced them. Kick off at Riverside Stadium is 2.30pm.