Every game’s a big game – but they don’t come much bigger than the two we have against Hindsford every season – and today saw the first instalment of the 2022-2023 campaign down at Radcliffe Road. Coming into this unbeaten in four, there was plenty of confidence oozing from the home dressing room as the players arrived but we were very aware of the rich vein of form last season champions were in. This was going to take a massive effort for each and every one of the County lads if we wanted to keep these points in Bolton and as the kick-off approached, the atmosphere intensified. This game meant something to both sets of players and supporters that’s for sure…
And as the team in blue went through their warm-up’s, Houghy, Dave and Damo already knew what they were going with for this one. Kain kept his place between the sticks and we were sticking with the 4-3-3 shape that’s served us well during this winning run. That meant we had Charlie and Robbie Pollitt in at full-backs and Ben partnering Hodgy in the central areas. The midfield trio was made up of Houghie, Shorty and the returning George Booth and that meant the top three saw Ax flanked by Carl on the left and Matty Leatham on the right. There was a strong bench as well – with Liam Hulme and Sean joined by the welcome return of Club Captain Matty Ormrod and Evsy who had both had lengthy spells on the side-lines. There was quality all over the park there – but we just had to go out there and prove it now. The weather was holding up with dull skies but a warm nip in the air and as the crowd began to grow, so did the anticipation. There was an edge to this already – and it hadn’t even started…
But when it did, it provided everything that we were all expecting. A hard-fought battle between two sides who don’t want to lose. There were plenty of half-chances as the game started to settle down but it was County that were the first to draw blood as we took the lead on 13 minutes. Some great interlinking in the middle third saw Houghie carve out a beautiful ball into the path of Matty and he got to it just before their defender and he stroked his shot home past the visiting keeper from the edge of the box. A great finish and now we had something to look after. 1-0…
Back came the visitors though and as they began to put pressure on our back four, they started getting in behind and lofting decent crosses into the mixer. And with 25 minutes on the watch, one such ball floated into the penalty area saw Ben try to clear it – but his header could only evade the advancing Kain and into the back of our net. Gutted! Head up though – there was still plenty of time here – we just needed to get focused again. 1-1…
It then became the feisty affair that we were all fearful of and at times, it looked as though it was going to boil over as some poor challenges were going unpunished – but when both teams got it down and tried to play, there was some attractive football on display. Kain was forced into making at least two great saves to thwart them taking the lead – and we all thought they had when they hit the post on 34 minutes – but when the third goal came, it was the home supporters that were shouting the loudest. The game had ticked into time added on until the break when we won a free-kick about 20 yards from goal. Ax quickly picked the ball up and as the away side continued their rant at the referee about awarding the free-kick, our top-scorer placed it down confidently. The Hindsford keeper lined up his wall and when the man in the middle blew his whistle, Ax stepped up and curled his effort around their wall, past the out-stretched arm of their No.1 and inside the post, rippling the net as tit hit the back of it. What a strike! And as the whistle was hardly seconds away, we were going in at the break in front without having actually played as well as we can. This was good stuff – but we knew that this was by means the end of this…
Half-time: BOLTON COUNTY 2-1 HINDSFORD AFC
As the lads came in and got themselves seated, the coaches set about their business – and that was to remind all of them that nothing was won yet. There was another tough 45 minutes ahead and we needed to make sure we were up for them as the opponents were going to come flying out of the traps right from the re-start. We were doing alright but there was still at least a 10% increase inside all of them – so concentrate, win your individual battles and let’s see where that takes us. We couldn’t take our minds off the task at hand by getting involved in any argy-bargy and then if we played our football, we’d be good. So with the break over and the referee calling both teams back out, the crowd sat back and knew what an explosive half of football we were about to see…
We’d spoken about it. We’d prepared them for it. But when the game restarted, it was clear that the visitors had received a rocket at half-tome – as they came out all-guns blazing and were pressing us further and further back towards Kain’s goal. On 47 minutes they levelled and in truth, it was a really good goal. An outrageous flick from their midfielder saw the ball land at the feet of Brennan who turned and smashed his shot low and hard into Kain’s bottom right-hand corner. As he wheeled away and ran towards the away dug-out, the County players knew that we needed to get back at it real-soon now. 2-2…
It got worse though. Because just over 60 seconds later the Champions had turned it around – and were 2-3 in front. Their pressure had mounted since the second-half began but we were guilty of losing the ball cheaply and they played it through the middle for Honeyball to get to it and as Kain came out to narrow the angle, their guy dinked the ball over him and into the back of our net. This wasn’t in the plan and there was work to do now…
Houghie had suffered an injury midway through the first-half and the battle out there had taken it’s toll – so on came Sean on 50 minutes to replace him and to our credit, we didn’t just stand there and take it. We were putting in challenges and giving ourselves every chance of getting back in this – and that’s exactly what we did just past the hour-mark. Some good work down our left saw the ball at Carl’s feet and he jinxed this way and that before looking up and picking out a peach of a pass that rolled sweetly in front of Ax and he did what he does best by stroking the ball expertly into the far corner. A great finish and it was game-on again. 3-3 and the County fans were buoyant again…
Both teams knew the importance of the next goal now and it turned the match even more tastier – with some proper hum-dingers of tackles going in – and with 82 minutes gone, we made another change. This time it saw Robbie Pollitt come off for a well-earned rest and into the fray came Liam Hulme and as the seconds ticked away, at times it looked like both sides were happy with a point. But as with every game that is played between these two teams, there is always something that is debateable for either side – and this time it was the visitors that were the grateful receivers. With the game edging into time-added on, they managed to feed the ball forward and there was their sub Stewart to turn in the box and tuck the ball home past Kain. The assistant referee had flagged for offside so as the County players got ready to take the free-kick, the man that mattered most over-ruled him and awarded the goal! Unbelievable Jeff! The away side had managed to nick all three points right at the death and once again, they were going to be the ones leaving with the biggest smiles. So gutting…
And that was that. Another solid performance and we were really unlucky not to come away from this with at least a point. But it is what it is and we will put this one behind us and move on. Next weekend sees us travel over to take on 2nd placed Walshaw Sports so it will be another mammoth effort needed if we want to get back to winning ways. Are the lads up for it? You can bet your bottom dollar they are!
A massive thanks to those of you that came down to cheer us on today – it was good to see you all there – and we really hope you can make the short trip across the A58 to do it again in seven days time…
A defeat against Hindsford in a feisty affair decided by a contentious goal. Becoming a bit of a theme now don’t you think?
#UpTheCounty!