Three goals in the last seven minutes in Atherton last weekend saw the Reserves clinch another three points and still unbeaten since that first pre-season win at Breightmet United, we were going over to Horwich RMI determined to keep that run going. But let’s remember – today’s hosts were also our first opponents in the league and those first three points came at the loss of the Holt brothers for three games – so Wayne, Cal and Brian had spent all week reminding their terrible twosome to keep things in check this week. And to their credit, they had taken it all onboard – and as we began arriving at Hilton Community Centre this afternoon, as expected the mood was good…
We are having to let lads down every weekend now due to the strength in depth we have at our disposal so once again, there were some lads that had to be let down gently. We also had the skipper Matty Leigh out injured, the first-teamers going back for their County Cup game at Pennington, Robbie Smith pulling out late in the week and a couple of lads nursing knocks from that bruising battle in Atherton last weekend – and Robbo serving the second of his three-game ban – but there was still more than enough in that changing room to get the job done here. So Wayne led the stretches and the warm-up and informed the lads of the conversation he had just had with the Horwich RMI guys about whether that ‘nutter’ was playing. As expected, they were going to be gunning for Ricky today so as he went through his pre-match routine, he looked fully concentrated. Lucky that – because today we were going with a 3-5-2 shape in order to see if we could in and around their box more often and he was one of the two up top. Yatesy was back in there to support him and use his pace off the ball – and the top tasked with the daunting challenge of working up and down the flanks were to be Liam Hulme and Ste Palin. Once again, Ste had got in Wayne’s car for the trip over and as soon as he sat down, he said ‘I’m scoring today!’ Every week he’s said it so far his premonition has come true – so let’s hope it did again today. The midfield trio tasked with dictating the play were to be Alex, Liam Haycock and young Callum Chadwick and the defensive threesome was made up of Gatesie with Robbie Holt and Rav either side of him. Pomf was given the gloves again and with a bench that comprised of Ben, Jude, Nathan, Lewis Cook and the returning Adam Webber, we had choices when needed. The lads got themselves ready and when it was time to go, they looked really smart with their poppies adorning their chests…
Football has a way of pulling everybody together at times – regardless of age, gender or colour – and Remembrance Day is always one of them. So it was superb to see the minute’s silence observed so impeccably. And when the referee blew his whistle to start the match, it was County who began proceedings…
And it was County that were also quickest out of the traps because within 4 minutes, we had taken the lead. Rav played a nice ball in front of Ste and he skinned his man before getting to the bye line and squeezing a delicious cross into the six-yard box that saw Yatesy nip in front of his marker and slam the ball into the roof of the net from about 8 yards out. What a start! 1-0 but there was still plenty of work to be done here…
We kept pushing forward thankfully and we forced a number of corners in succession that saw Alex deliver one gorgeous one that saw Yatesy jump a little too early but he did well to connect on his way down – only to see the ball flash over the bar. Another good chance though and we had started this one brightly. That had been the request at the start of the game as we had seen ourselves go behind before we started in the last two games. It was so important we started this well – and we had done so far…
More good work down our left saw Liam play a great 1-2 with Ricky on the edge of the RMI box and as they slipped it into the feet of Yatesy, he curled one around their defender and destined for the bottom corner – until their No.1 came from nowhere and managed to tip it around the post for a corner. A great save in truth – but we needed to start making these chances count…
That was made even more obvious when on 16 minutes – and somewhat against the run of play – the hosts managed to level the scores. As they played it into our box, their No.9 was jostling with Liam Hulme and as he turned, he made it look as though he’d been clipped and went down. Even to his amazement, the referee blew sharply on his whistle – and awarded the home side a penalty! What? What for? And the match official said ‘pushing’ Spot-kick! They hit it at Pomf and he managed to get down to save it – however the ball somehow managed to creep under him and go across our line before he could get there to stop it. So unlucky from our No.1 – but it was all-square again and we had to raise it now. 1-1…
We were still having the better of the chances and on 28 minutes we thought we’d retaken the lead – only to see the referee call it back for offside again to our disbelief. Another good free-kick from Alex saw the ball played into the danger area and Ricky managed to win the header to play it back across for Ste to get to and head it home – but the man in black adjudged him to have been beyond their back four and it was a free-kick to the home side. Then another really good chance failed to be converted when Yatesy once again used his pace to speed clear and as he fed the ball right across the face of goal, it looked like Liam Hulme was getting it at the back post. But he chose to go with what was probably the wrong foot in hindsight and the ball was whiskers away from being converted. Yet another one though – and these were starting to mount up. Would they be costly? We’d soon find out…
Callum was then brought off in a move that saw Nathan come in at a more central position than usual and on 32 minutes, our pressure told – and we did manage to take the lead through that premonition we told you about earlier. We had worked the ball well down our left again and as Ricky nipped in front of his man, he muscled him away just enough to slip the ball into the path of Yatesy. He tapped it past his marker and slammed his shot in – only to see their keeper make another fine save with his knees – but this time when it bounced out, there was that man Ste Palin to stroke it home from about 4 yards out. Another goal gobbled up by our top-scorer – but you have to be in the right place at the right time and as he gets his fitness back from his long lay-off, things will only get better for this young man. 2-1 and nobody could deny us the lead at this point…
We were still guilty of giving them the ball so cheaply though and with Wayne berating them from the sidelines, the lads knew that they needed to keep possession of the ball better. We work so hard to get it back sometimes so to simply kick it straight to them doesn’t make sense – and this is one area the coaches would like to develop as the season progresses…
There was nearly a repeat of last week as well – when Alex received the ball on the edge of the RMI box and let fly with another curler. But as where last week’s one dropped under the bar, this one went over the bar – but it had the County contingent remembering that one seven days ago. Shortly after that, the man in black called proceedings to a halt and as we came in, it was the lads in dark blue that were the happiest…
Half-time: HORWICH RMI 1-2 BOLTON COUNTY RESERVES
As the lads gathered in a huddle, Wayne and Brian set about keeping this lead and making it bigger – so they reminded the lads that from where they were stood, it looked as though we were performing at about 80/85% of our capability. We were doing good things and making chances – but then we were making wrong choices with the pass and giving them the ball to play with. Cut these things out and we’d win this because our football was great at times. The boss decided – in order to keep those two up top – we would now be going with a back four that saw Rav on the right and Liam on the left and a midfield three of Alex, Liam and Nathan and Ste tasked with being the link between them and Ricky and Yatesy up top. Just go back out there and keep doing the right things and this should be in the bag…
And from the off, the new shape looked good going forward – but defensively we were a little at sixes and sevens as we tried to adjust to having wingers to mark. That said, with 53 minutes on the clock it was County that got the next goal – and once again it was that man Ste Palin that got it! Some good football saw the ball fed out to Nathan on our right and as he took it around their full-back, he whipped in a nasty little cross to the front post – where Ste charged through a crowd of defenders to get his toe to the ball and divert it in from about 3 yards out! Another poachers goal and we were now 3-1 to the good. This was turning into a good afternoon…
All the good chances were coming in front of the home keeper now and a superb pass from Alex saw Yatesy burst through – but he tried to take it round one too many defenders and as his shot came in, he couldn’t generate the power to get it past their No.1. Following that, Nathan once again raced down the right wing and as the ball looked to go out, he nipped past their full-back and chipped another good cross into the mixer – but there was nobody there to meet it this time and the game went on…
We made a change on 69 minutes as Lewis came on in place of Ricky and we went back to the 3-5-2 we started with – and this made the lads at the back a lot more comfortable. Another good chance saw Yatesy try to flick it past their keeper when it looked easier to use his head and again a few minutes later, he tried the same thing at the near post – but once more, the ball didn’t find a way through. With it delicately poised at 3-1, the next goal was going to be really important – and that had an impact on the substitutions that we wanted to make…
Good work from Ste on the edge of their box saw the ball fall to the feet of Nathan and as he took it round their defender, his shot was too tame and their keeper managed to smother it easily – and we really did need to start converting these if we wanted to put this game to bed.
Their keeper made another good save from Yatesy when it looked like a more functional ‘smash at goal rather than flick’ could have provided more positive results and then Lewis raced down our left – leaving their full-back in his wake – before slipping it inside to the run of Liam Hulme who struck it sweetly – and only a great save by their keeper stopped us increasing our lead. We then brought Ben on in place of Liam Haycock – who had soldiered through and played well carrying a slight knock – and the first thing he did was nearly score the Goal of the Season as the ball dropped to him about 30 yards from goal and he touched it once before unleashing a rocket of a half-volley that had their keeper beaten all-hands down – only to slam against the crossbar so hard that it’s probably still shaking – and then he drove in the rebound from about 20 yards out that flashed just wide of their upright. What a goal that would have been and a fitting way to win this match…
Then on 84 minutes the inevitable happened – and the home side made it a twitchy last 6 minutes or so when they managed to grab their second goal of the game. A long ball forward had caught us a little too high and at one point, they had three attackers against our Rav. They played it across the box and although we had got back in numbers and blocked the initial effort, they managed to force the ball home with a tidy finish from about 10 yards out. The score now stood at 3-2 and this was far too close for comfort…
Again, this had an impact on the changes as it was a real battle in there now – but we brought Jude and Adam into the fray and brought Liam and Ste off – as we looked to batten down the hatches and see this one out. We needed to keep the ball more than ever now. And thankfully we did because although it appeared that the referee had blown a few minutes early, it was to our benefit – as that was another win and the unbeaten record rolling forward at least one more week. We had really battled for this and it was credit to the lads involved that we were going home with all three points. And credit to Horwich RMI and the Holt brothers – as there were no repeats of the silliness from that opening game and all concerned played a good, decent game of football. Thanks for being such pleasant hosts and good luck for the rest of the season and as for Ricky and Robbie – see what happens when we think about the football? Top game lads…
So that was that. Another week goes by where we win – but we make it so hard for ourselves. There’s a home game against Bolton United Reserves next weekend so we’ll work on a few ideas in training during the week and hopefully secure yet another three points in seven days time…
#UpTheCounty!
