Referee’s leniency let Town off the hook, says Holleran

With clear-cut openings at a premium, Holleran was angered by referee David Avent’s failure to dish out red cards for dangerous first-half challenges on Alex Taylor and Jon Adams.

However, he said those decisions have been indicative of Brakes’ luck in recent weeks.

“I said to the referee before the match that he needed to be strong but he buckled,” said Holleran.

“They could have been down to nine. On another day they would have been off for those challenges.”

Despite having failed to win since December 17, Brakes are still on the coat-tails of the top five.

And, with all the play-off challengers struggling for consistency, Holleran believes there will be plenty more twists and turns before the season is over.

“It’s the most bizarre league I’ve been involved in. You see a depleted Weymouth beat Stourbridge and Bashley turn over Chesham.

But first and foremost we’ve got to help ourselves.

“Our home form is where we have picked up the large percentage of our points, but since the turn of the year we haven’t done that.

“We have struggled with teams that have come here and shut up shop but I firmly believe we are not far away from stringing some results together.”

Holleran is still looking to tinker with his squad ahead of the run-in and is expected to bring in a young goalkeeper as cover for Nathan Vaughan before the weekend.

However, efforts to attract a pacy winger to provide competition for Alex Taylor and Jimmy Husband have so far proved fruitless.

“We’ve been after a certain type of player for a bit and have pinpointed two or three players who might fill that void,” he said.

“With Alex having been carrying injuries all season and Jimmy being in and out, we just feel we need that kind of player that breaks the line and can carry the ball 30-40 yards.”

n Brakes have been drawn at home to Premiership side West Bromwich Albion in the semi-final of the Birmingham Senior Cup.

The date for the tie has yet to be decided.