HOLT beat Sherston Town 4-2 in the only Chippenham Sunday League Premier Division game to take place on Sunday.

Sherston, who accepted the invitation to switch the game to Holt because their own pitch was waterlogged, expected a similar result to their 4-1 victory back in November, but Holt had other plans following a traumatic three months, which saw them without a league win since October 1.

Holt manager Simon Montacute had been expecting the OBE (out before Easter) and when a dozen key players missing he must have feared the worst.

It was left to a makeshift side of new signings, bolstered by a core of Bradford United stalwarts, to try and keep Montacute in his job and they responded to his call by securing a 4-2 success.

Holt got off to a tremendous start when with only five minutes gone the Ryan Mortimer pinged a speculative cross into the back of the net off the underside of the crossbar.

This seemed to wake Sherston from their early morning slumber as they peppered the Holt goal only to find that Mike Embleton more than up for the job between the sticks.

On the half-hour Holt's recent signing Darren Healey latched onto to a slide rule pass from Joe Jo Ackah and slotted past the goalkeeper for his first goal for the club.

Although Sherston continued to press they found man-of-the-match Embleton, assisted by the enforcer Mark Williams, more than a match for their shots on target.

With minutes remaining on referee Julian Sattin's watch until half-time Ackah skipped through a flurry of Sherston tackles before finding the back of the visitors' net to put Holt into unchartered territory going in 3-0 up at the break.

Sherston came out in the second half with the bit between their teeth and forced the villagers into a rearguard action for much of the second half.

In the 70th minute they finally hit the back with a clinical strike from Ben Wright. This seemed to wake Holt from their slumbers as stand-in striker, the diminutive veteran, Stuart Faint headed home inside the six yard box.

With ten minutes left Ed Wilkins reduced the deficit with the final goal of the game. Despite a nervous last ten minutes Holt held on to record a season saving victory and moved up to midtable from their less than flattering basement position of the last two months.

Premier Division pacesetters Winsley who have just short of 50 players registered with their club were left embarrassed at the weekend after they had to postpone their match away to Biddestone Social because they were unable to raise a team due to a shortage of players.

Social were looking forward to their battle with Winsley who had beaten them 5-0 in October when John O'Meara's side were struggling with injuries,.

Biddestone had a host of players returning from injury and with that in mind Winsley manager Paul Ranger was not prepared to put his fringe players into a game that could have ended with them losing for the first time this season.

The games between Corsham Centre and Holt and Spencer Sports and Trowbridge Harriers were called off by the league to give the Centre and Spencer the chances to catch up on their cup games. In their place Dog and Fox Ashley were due to face Trowbridge Harriers and Holt were to travel to Sherston Town, but likes the matches involving Maud Heath Sports and Box Rovers, Westbury Rangers A and Bradford News the Dog's game was a casualty of the weather.