Last weekend’s heavy defeat to Royton Town had to be put behind us as we made our way over to Rochdale today – as we knew that to come home from Sacred Heart with anything was going to take another almighty effort from the County lads. It was good to see some regular faces back in the fold as well and as we made our way across the A58, the mood in the camp was good…

The pitch looked pretty heavy as we arrived but still good enough for a game of football – and knowing that the hosts had won back to back games since their shock 0-4 defeat to Heyside – their tails were going to be up for this one. Currently sat in 4th place, they would be determined to get another three points to add to their tally. We needed the points for a very different reason – to climb out of the bottom three – so as the lads warmed up, they knew the task at hand. The starting 11 was announced and it saw a return for Charlie between the sticks – and a return for club stalwart Tom Aspen at centre-half. He was partnering Hodgy in the central defensive role with both Robbies – Smith and Pollitt – in at full-backs. The usual trio of Shorty, Smalley and Houghie made up the midfield and the front three saw Ben T join Carl and Ax. The bench saw us with Tom Robinson – who played well on his first-team debut last week – and the returning Brian Millington and as the lads made their final preparations, the message was clear. Work hard for each other and keep our heads up regardless. The usual roars and shouts emulated from both dressing-rooms as the teams entered the field of play and within a few minutes, the game was underway…

County started much the brighter and for the first third of the game, it was us doing all the pressing. We were winning our individual battles and whenever the hosts did get the ball down, we weren’t allowing them any time to pick out their passes. We looked solid and when we passed the ball, we were causing them trouble. And with 32 minutes on the clock, we deservedly took the lead. Robbie Smith worked hard down our right to feed the ball across and as it dropped, there was Smalley sliding in to smash the ball into the bottom corner of their net from about 10 yards out. A great finish in truth and more importantly, we now had something to look after. 1-0 County…

Going behind seemed to spark the hosts into life and they soon came back into it – with a long diagonal ball over the top on their left seeing their attacker cut back inside and smash his shot past Charlie from about 8 yards out and into the back of our net. All square again at 1-1…

They hadn’t stopped there either because before the break, Sacred Heart very nearly took the lead. They worked the ball well down their left and as it was crossed in, there was their No.9 about six yards out with a point-blank header – but he could direct it straight at Charlie and with the ball safely in our keeper’s hands, the chance was gone – thankfully…

There wasn’t much more to write about before the whistle went for the break and as both teams strolled in, they knew it was still very much all to play for…

Half-time: Rochdale Sacred Heart 1-1 BOLTON COUNTY

The coaches reminded their troops how well they had been doing out there so far – but we needed to get back to playing as we had done for the opening 20 minutes or so if we wanted to be in with a chance now. Don’t let them get goal-side of us and make sure that when we didn’t have the ball, not all of us were looking to go forward. There was enough in this changing-room to win this so we now had to go out there and prove it. No changes were made and with their lungs re-filled, they were soon out there ready to go again…

The break refreshed us and we were quickly on the front foot from the restart. In fact we should have taken the lead when some neatwork and another brilliant cross from Robbie Smith found Carl unmarked in front of an open goal only two yards out. With the County contingent waiting for the net to bulge, all Carl could do was mis-hit it and there was enough time for their keeper to stroll back towards his net and catch it with ease. So close – and was we going to be made to pay for that?

We sure were as it seemed that had knocked a bit of the stuffing out of us and within a matter of minutes, we gifted the hosts with their second goal. And inexplicibly, we did it again soon after and with the score now standing at 1-3, we had now given ourselves a lot to do…

Not that we weren’t up for the challenge though. Robbie Smith had been brilliantly this afternoon and another superb cross into the danger-area once again found Carl at the back-post – and this time he made no mistake in planting his header past their keeper and into the back of the net. 2-3 and was this comeback on now?

The answer to that was a resounding ‘no’ though because within 30 seconds of the re-start, the score was 4-2 – as their left-winger was allowed to come inside all to easily and he had time to pick his spot and slot his shot past the helpless Charlie and into the back of our net. 2-4 and surely that was too much to claw back now…

To our credit though, the lads never gave up and Smalley nearly reduced the deficit with a 25yard curler that beat their keeper all hands down – only to crash against the underside of the bar and bounce the wrong side of the line. A great effort and who knows what would have happened it that went in…

But the game was done just before the final whistle when they counter-attacked as we kept pouring forward trying to get back in it. Their striker was put clean through and with Charlie in no-mans land, their guy lobbed him easily to guide the ball home and see the score end at 5-2 to the hosts. A valiant effort from the boys in blue – but it just wasn’t enough…

The handshakes were done with pride and as both sides left the pitch, the supporters rightly applauded them. We may have been beaten but we played our part in a really entertaining game out there and the fans knew it. The coaches were a bit less impressed though as we all knew that many of us had been below-par out there and if we want to climb up that table, a lot more is going to be needed. That said, there were some good performances and especially that man Robbie Smith who played out of his skin today. A top display from the lad that was…

We move on. Next week sees a real six-pointer as we travel to Heyside who currently sit 4 points above us in the table. That’s a must-win game for us so training will be used to tinker with a few ideas and we’ll be coming out for that determined to put things right. It would be great if you could come over and get behind us…

A bad day at the office. But one we’ll put to the back of our minds and when we come out next, it’s a completely different game. Let’s hope it’s a different result as well eh?

#UpTheCounty!