Having gone four games unbeaten, defeats against Hindsford and Walshaw Sports have seen us in need of getting back to winning ways – and a Cup game is definitely time to do that! But it was a challenging task of a trip to Pennington in the 3rd round of the County Cup in store for the lads today – so we knew we’d have to be on top of our game if we wanted it to be our name in the hat for the next round…
With the warm-up’s completed, it was time to announce the eleven men that were going to be responsible for doing just that and this week saw Charlie back between the sticks with the four in front of him being Ben T and Kieran at full-backs with Tom Aspen and Hodgy the central pairing between them. The midfield trio was made up of Houghie, Shorty and Smalley – fresh from his dazzling display for the Reserves last weekend – and the top three was made up of Matty, Carl and Ax – fresh from his snub from Southgate’s World Cup squad and determined to make him regret that decision. That meant there were only three on the bench today – but the quality of Robbie Pollitt, Robbie Kennedy and Jordan Batchelor was good to be called upon when needed. The lads made their final preparations and as they went out there, a good crowd was gathering for this one…
As always, Remembrance Day is always rightfully respected in football and today was no different – with everybody observing the minute’s silence impeccably – and as the referee pulled the captains together, the supporters got themselves ready for what proved to be a thoroughly entertaining game of football…
The opening 15 minutes or so were pretty even as both sides worked their way into the game but Ax did have a good chance to put us in front – both rahter than shoot first-time, he elected to take a touch and the chance was gone. In games like this it’s so important to take the opportunities when they come – and midway through the first-half the hosts showed us why. They worked it well but gone in way too easily down their left and as they drilled it across the six-yard box, their attacker met it sweetly and hammered his shot high past Charlie and into the back of our net. 0-1 and as the ball made it’s way back to the centre-spot, both Daves and Damo were eagerly reminding their troops that there was plenty of time to get back in this…
As the half wore on, both teams had good chances to score – but there seemed to be a lack of quality in the final thirds at both ends – apart from Charlie making a couple of good saves when the home side had broken through the barriers. And as the man in the middle decided he had seen enough and blew for the break, it was County that were going in with more to think about…
Half-time: Pennington FC 1-0 BOLTON COUNTY
Once again, the half-time team-talk was more about encouraging than berating. We had the quality in that changing room to be doing a lot better than we had been – so the lads needed some self-belief reinstiled in them. Get the ball down and play it. Stop giving it away too easily and when we did have it, make sure there were options. Get the next goal and this would be a very different game – so as they gulped their drinks and refocused, there was a steely look in their eyes as they re-entered the field of play…
And that transferred onto the pitch as we looked more dangerous every time we got the ball. We were trying to press them back and when we did get it down and play, we were giving them things to think about. But it was the hosts that scored the next goal – and therefore doubled their lead – when some poor defending caused a scramble in our box and as the ball fell to an unmarked Pennington player about two yards from goal, he had the simple task of slamming it home. 0-2 and we now had it all to do…
Things were further impounded when Houghie saw himself sent to the sin-bin for dissent and now we were really up against it – but somehow we galvanised and five minutes into Houghie’s removal, we managed to grab a goal back. Moving it down our left, we swung in a delicious cross that would cause mayhem in any defence – and there was Ben T to meet it about 10 yards from goal and level with the back post to head it back into the opposite top corner of their net, giving their keeper no chance of stopping it! A great finish and a way back into this game! 1-2…
Shortly after that, Houghie was back on the pitch and with 70 minutes on the watch, we decided to bring Smalley and Shorty off so that the energy of both Robbies could hopefully unlock their defence. The seconds ticked away but County – wearing our red away kit – were continuing to knock on the door whilst the home side searched for that third goal that would put this game to bed. But with 80 minutes on the clock, we managed to feed the ball down our right and charging through, it looked like Ben T was going to go clean through on goal. But as he got into their box, all the Pennington defender could do was bring him down – and the referee had no hesitation as he pointed directly to the penalty spot. Ben dusted himself down and placed the ball confidently before stepping back about sic yards and BANG! – he buried the ball low and hard to the keeper’s left and as it nestled in the bottom corner, we had done it. We had pulled this back from the brink and there was still time to win it! What an effort this had been. 2-2…
But rather than use that momentum to our advantage, we allowed the hosts back into the game and they began to press forward in numbers. Clean through twice, they failed to make it count with some poor finishing and decision-making – but if we didn’t shape up, a goal was coming. And it did. The watch had just clicked past the 87th minute when they managed to scuff a shot in that hit Ben T and as it went towards goal, Charlie managed to get a touch to it – but the ball could only hit the inside of our far post and bobble over the line! No way! After all that effort we were going to be undone by such a scruffy goal! They all count we know – but to lose a Cup tie to a goal like this would be hard to take. 2-3 and was that enough time to pull this back again?
The short answer to that is ‘No’ because despite our efforts, we couldn’t force another equaliser and when the referee blew his whistle for the final time, our time in the County Cup for the 2022-2023 season had come to an end. Fair play to today’s hosts and we wish you all the best in the next round – but to lose to a goal like that is pretty hard to digest. We had done well to pull ourselves back into the game but a lack of quality in that final third and an inability to concentrate for the full 90 minutes had ultimately cost us. Chin up though – there were plenty of positives for the coaches to take away from this one…
So it’s back to league action next weekend as we look to increase our points tally over at 7th placed Moorside Rangers – and we’d love to see you all there cheering us on for that one…
No Cup Final in the County Cup this season then we suppose. At least we can use that old adage of ‘concentrating on the league’ now can’t we?
#UpTheCounty!
