There’s nothing unlucky about number 13 for Hollington United

Hollington boss John Carey said: “Thanks for all the volunteers that helped get the ground ready for the game - only to have to put it all back without a kick off a ball.”

This week there was a game – and the Lions’ win took them 11 points clear at the top of the premier table.

Carey said: “We moved on to an away trip to Lindfield, a team that’s scored half our conceded goals this season.

Read Simon Newstead’s ESFL round-up here.

"We always knew it would be a tricky game as Lindfield are always a tough side to play against.

"They’re big, organised and never give up and that was the case right up to the final whistle Saturday afternoon.

"We started strongly and played some good football out from the back and looked totally in control and very comfortable.

"Lindfield had a couple of half chances in spells which were easy stops for our No1 Elliot Stokes.

“Bradley Pritchard created our first chance after some great link-up play with birthday boy Samuel Scott.

"Pritchard set himself for a volley from which the Lindfield keeper pulled off one of the best saves of the season

“Then our very own number 10 Paul Rogers produced a moment of magic, dancing past two or three Lindfield defenders like they were not there.

"Then from 25 yards he bent one straight in the top corner with the keeper absolutely stranded making his earlier heroics forgotten.

“From that point on ’til half-time we pushed on and it wasn’t long before Danny Ellis saw Lewis McGuigan striding on the overlap down the right hand side.

"He played him in and with the keeper coming out, Lewis with the outside of his right foot slotted one in the bottom corner.

"So we went in at half-time 2-0 up deservedly.

“With the second half starting and the light fading, Lindfield to be fair were giving us a game.

"And it was good to see how we would cope under a bit of pressure for the first time in a while.

"Dan Tewkesbury then went close with a chance of his own which slipped just past the post.

"That was his last chance of the game with a shift at Gatwick calling his name and we made five changes.

"The boys dug in really well soaking up the Lindfield barrage in the dark with the Lions holding out for a 13th consecutive league win and now with 10 clean sheets in a row.

"That’s 900 minutes of football without conceding, Elliot Stokes deservedly picking up the MoM award. It’s great to be 11 points clear going into the Christmas break.”

Hollington are next in action away to Worthing Town in the cup on December 17. Carey hopes a number of fans will travel.