Sometimes it’s good to get away from league action for a bit – and laat weekend’s 1-2 reveral at Dukinfield Town was proof of that – so to go into the 1st round of the Lancashire FA County Cup was something we were looking forward to. Today’s visitors – Leigh Genesis – currently sit 3rd bottom in the division below us in the league so we knew that if we were on our game here, there would be a good chance of us progressing. The pitch at The County Ground looked as gorgeous as ever and as the lads made their way out there to warm up, there were a few obvious things here. Firstly there was going to be somewhat of wholesale changes to the squad for this one and secondly, there was going to quite a crowd here watching this one. Both Daves and Damo were out there prepping their troops and when the starting 11 was announced, it saw us going with a 4-3-3 shape – but a 4-3-3 shape with a difference. Today saw Kain giving the gloves to protect our goal and the four in front of him were to be Robbie Pollitt and Kieran at full-backs with Ben joining the returning Hodgy in the cental areas. The midfield trio was made up of Shorty, Houghie and Robbie Kennedy but it was up top that the biggest shock came – as Carl and Ax were joined by our usual No.1 Charlie. This was going to be good to watch! The bench consisted of the returning Ali B, Robbie Smith, Matty Leatham and debutant for the first-team, Development Squad player Matty Hill was stepping up after showing his quality so far this season. The lads were ready. The coaches were ready. And when the referee decided her was ready, it was game on..
The game started at a frenetic pace and within the opening minute, the visitors had a great chance to open the scoring. A long ball over the top saw their striker about 2 yards offside but the match officials were the only ones in the ground that didn’t see it and as their man raced through, it took a stunning save from our Kain to keep the score at 0-0. An early warning sign that they were here to win, that’s for sure…
But from that point on it was all County and it wasn’t long before we took the lead – and it was that man Charlie that got it. Winning a corner over on the left, the ball was lofted in and there was our Charlie to rise like a salmon and plant his header low and hard past the Genesis No.1, leaving him no chance of stopping it. 1-0 to the Blues and we were off…
We continued to push forward at every opportunity and it was from another corner that we managed to double on lead on the half-hour mark. This time the ball was curled in and there was Hodgy to mark his return to first-team action with a header from about a yard out and with the score now standing at 2-0, we looked as though we were cruising now…
There was still more to come however as before the break, we managed to grab our third goal of the game – and this time it was hit-man Ax that got it as he beat their keeper at his near-post having been put clean through by an inch-perfect pass. 3-0 and this first- half had been more the County we know…
Half-time: BOLTON COUNTY 3-0 Leigh Genesis
Team-talks like this are easy so it was no surprise to hear that the lads were asked to just keep doing what they had been as it had proved dividends so far. Just keep focused, keep working hard and go out there and have some fun. They gulped their drinks and before we knew it, they were back out there and ready to go again…
The second-half was the best we have seen our lads play so far in the 2022-2023 campaign as things clicked and we played our usual brand of quick, controlled passing to a tee – with the fourth goal coming as Charlie had been played clean through once again and this timwe he made a tidy finish tucking the ball low and hard into the bottom corner. 4-0 and that was surely that already?
We made some changes as Matty and Robbie Smith had come onto the pitch and it was the latter that grabbed our sixth as he lobbed their keeper expertly after adjusting his feet just quick enough to dig out his shot. A quality finish and things were really looking good now…
It then became the Matty Leatham show as he went on to clinch a second-half hat-trick with three class goals – the first after robbing the Genesis defender as he attempted to play the ball out and the calmly slotting the ball home past their stranded keeper from about 8 yards out. The second was sweeter – as he received the ball in a bit of space and as he looked up, he curled a delicious shot into the top corner of their net from the edge of the box. That was 8-0 to County and we were still pressing forward looking for more…
Then came the ninth – and final goal – of the game and it was somewhat unfortunate for the leigh defender as he could only deflect Matty’s shot-come-cross past his own keeper – and because our Matty’s shot was on target in the first-place, the goal was definitely awarded as his – and therefore that was his hat-trick wrapped up. 9-0 and that was that…
The handshakes were done with pride and as our lads congregated in the changing-rooms, the bosses were clearly impressed with what they had just witnessed. We just now need to repeat that performance when we welcome bottom of the table Manchester Gregorians to Radcliffe Road next Saturday and if we could get another win there, it would see us with some space above the early relegation places. Today’s display showed some of what we are capable of – so it’s about repeating that week in, week out mow. We’ve proved we can…
Can’t wait to see who we get in Round 2 – can you?
#UpTheCounty!