It was back to the critical business of securing our place in Premier Division for County this afternoon – and with the visit of Moorside Rangers ahead of us, we knew we’d have to put in a much better display than that we offered on Thursday night. Pennington came to The County Ground and finished their chances – so that’s what we needed to do here today. With the pitch taking a battering – and loads of games still to come in the next few weeks – the decision was made to switch this to the 3g at Thornleigh again – so as the lads started warming up, we all knew the importance of this one. Three points and we could breath a bit easier. A loss wasn’t part of the equation…
There were changes once again and that maybe part of the problem this season. We’ve not been in a position to pick a settled team for a majority of this campaign but you have to go with what you’ve got – so to see Reserve-Team coach Callum on the bench for this shocked even him we believe! Sticking to the 4-3-3 shape though, we had a job to do – and the 11 that were picked to start this one still had quality in it. Ryan was once again between the posts and one major shock was seeing Ax line up to partner Ben in the heart of the back-four. Robbie Smith came in at right-back and with Liam in at left-back again, our defence was set. Carl slotted into the middle to join skipper Smalley and Shorty and the forward-three for this one were to be Brian on the left, Robbie Pollitt on the right and Matty Leatham in between them. The bench had that man Mr Wright joined by two other reserve-players in Liam Haycock and Nathan. We were good to go and with a sizeable crowd gathered once again, the scene was set. The sun was shining and it was a warm one – but one of the funniest things of the afternoon was during the warm-up, Callum let a ball slide under his foot – and Dave Hough was heard urging none of his players to get injured today! Oh how we laughed! But there was a game to be played and as the lads rallied round, the assistant referee asked the hoards to move back from the touch-line – and the game begun…
Smalley won the toss and Matty kicked off, one of the first good move saw Smalley work the ball well into the run of Robbie Pollitt and as the ball came back to Matty, he could only hit his cross-cum-shot over the crossbar. Good intentions to start off with though. And with 4 minutes on the clock, we took an early lead. Ax had won a good challenge at the back and as he fired his pass into the feet of Matty, he controlled it expertly before curling a great cross into the six-yard box, there was Carl to climb highest to nod his header past their flailing keeper and into the back of his net. What a start! Just how the coaches would have wanted. 1-0 to County and this was good stuff…
Back came the visitors though and they managed to force a corner over on our left. The ball was swung in, defended well and we were quick to attack – however Robbie Pollitt stood on the ball rather than drive forward and the chance was gone. And a free-kick for the away side – when their winger claimed to have been pushed in the face – saw a dangerous ball fired into our box and there was Robbie Smith to make a great defensive header and get the ball away from danger. Back in it came and as Ryan went to make a great punch, he too got a punch – and the referee rightly awarded a free-kick the way of County. Only 9 minutes in and we’d seen plenty of action already. There was more to come though…
Next up saw Liam Hulme make a great run down the left-flank bu as he went to swing his cross in the box, he could only stick it over the bar. Again back came the visitors but Ax was managing their No.9 well and denying him space, he quickly turned defence into attack and as Robbie Pollitt won the ball, he fed it into Carl’s feet quickly – but he could only slam his shot high over the bar from about 15 yards out. We’d already had enough chances here so we needed to start converting them. The next chance we got should have ended in us doubling our lead – as Carl played a defence-splitting ball that saw Brian clear through on the left – but he could only screw his shot high and wide of the target and another chance was gone. 16 minutes gone and we should have been out of sight already…
Moments later the visitors saw their first real sight of our goal when a good dummy on the edge of our box saw their No.14 fire a good shot in – but Ryan was equal to it and our lead was still intact. Then came a contentious moment when a long-ball played into our danger-area saw their No.9 yards offside – but it wasn’t given and thankfully he could only slam his shot over the bar from about 10 yards out. We were living on the edge though and it wasn’t good for the nerves. Another chance then came to increase our lead when Smalley won yet another challenge in the middle of the park and as he fed it into Carl, we all awaited the net to bulge. But once more, we didn’t trouble their keeper as Carl’s shot flew high over the bar again. We really needed to make these count soon…
On the half-hour mark, the score-line really should have been level as they had a gilt-edged chance to equalise. The ball seemed to slam against their midfielder’s hand and everybody saw it – apart from the match officials who waved play-on. Their No. 9 was clean through on our goal and as Ryan came out to narrow the angle, he managed to squeeze his shot past him – but also past the upright. That was close…
But minutes later, the visitors did level the scores – and in truth, it was a good goal that got it. A great pass from their right-back split Liam and Brian in two – and as he collected the ball, their No.11 took full advantage – as he cut inside and played an inch-perfect pass to their No.15 on the edge of our box. Using his side-foot, he picked his spot and from about 16 yards out, he rifled his shot into the top corner of our net – giving Ryan no chance of stopping it. It was all-square again at 1 apiece – and all to play for…
Right from the re-start, we had an instant chance to regain the lead but once again, we didn’t make it count. The ball was fed into Carl and as he shot, his body position was all wrong and he could only hit it wide of the mark with their keeper beaten all-hands down. We really hoped that these missed opportunities were not going to come back and haunt us – and we thought they had on 42 minutes. For the first time in the game, their No.14 managed to out-muscle our Smalley and as he dragged it back nicely, it opened up the space to shoot. Shoot he did – but thankfully for ust the ball slammed against the post and back into play – and as we managed to loft it clear from danger. A really good effort and we needed to stop them having these chances whilst finishing our own. And on 40 minutes, we must have hit what was probably our 10th effort of the game over the bar. This time it was Robbie Pollitt who was guilty of not getting his knee over the ball and leaning back when striking it and as the ball sailed over the crossbar, that is definitely something the coaches will need to be working on very soon…
Robbie Smith was having a good game and putting plenty of dangerous balls into their mixer and his next one very nearly resulted in us retaking the lead. The ball was lofted in and Matty rose highest to meet it – planting his header just wide of the opposite post from about 8 yards out. Back came the away side though and some great interlinking between their No’s 11 and 15 saw the ball worked out to their onrushing No.17 and he struck it well – only to see Ryan dive acrobatically to tip it wide of the post. The corner came to nothing and when the whistle went for the break, it was as we started. All-square…
Half-time: BOLTON COUNTY 1-1 Moorside Rangers
The break gave the coaches chance to calm down their troops and remind them that despite the score-line, we had done more than enough to be in front. They were causing problems down our left though so we really needed to cut that out and we all knew that the finishing needed to improve significantly. But the lads were showing that they wanted it – so no changes were made – and as they gulped their drinks in the Easter sunshine, they were soon back out there ready to go again…
The second-half started with no pattern to the play as it was a real midfield battle – both both teams were guilty of plenty of misplaced passes in the early stages. The first shot of note came for the Rangers though and it was their No.14 again who played it neatly along the edge of the box into the run of their No.17 – but he too could only rifle his shot high over Ryan’s bar. It seemed to be the thing of the day to see who could shoot highest…
As we settled back into though, some of our passing was good – and Matty Leatham had a great chance to give us the lead on 49 minutes. He surged forward and with choices left and right, we were all waiting to see what he would do. He chose to shoot himself and the ball went agonisingly wide of their left-hand post. The supporters were being treated to some good stuff here though…
Another good opportunity came for the visitors on 52 minutes when they won a corner on their right and as it was played in, their big No.6 had come up from the back and met it well – only to see that also go inches over Ryan’s bar. Back down the other end we went and some silky skills from Carl saw his dazzling feet past three yellow shirts and as the crowd woo’ed, the flick saw it go out. Both sides demanded the decision – and the referee had awarded a goal-kick – before changing his mind to give us the corner. They defended it well and as the game went past the hour-mark, it was still all to play for…
We thought we’d taken the lead a minute later when a huge kick from Ryan saw a mix-up in their defence and as the ball bounced, in nipped Robbie Pollitt. With their keeper stranded, Robbie managed to get his toe to the ball and lobbed him – but as you guessed it – that went over the bar as well! This wasn’t funny now…
If we’re honest, the more good chances were falling to the away side now though and it took a superb save from Ryan to keep us in it. The ball was bouncing around our box and as a slight space appeared, in came the shot from point-blank range – only to see our shot-stopper get in the way of it and divert it away from danger. That was too close for comfort and we had our No.1 to thank for keeping us in it…
With 65 minutes we made our first change – bringing Nathan into the game in place of Brian – and the sub was quick to make an impact on the game. He’d made two good runs already – one which he slid into the middle but Robbie P just couldn’t get on the end of it – and as the minutes ticked by, the importance of that next goal was becoming more and more apparent. But on 70 minutes, we saw what can only be described as a thing of beauty – and most definitely contender for Goal of the Season. Robbie Smith took a quick throw – after Pomf and Wayne had played their part in getting it back to him quickly we hasten to add – and he got it straight back from Matty. Robbie saw a gap – and as he went into it, things seemed to open up. Doing a half-Cruyft turn, he raced forward leaving their defenders in his dust and with the inside of his left-foot, he curled a glorious shot in that was in the moment it left his foot – evading the bodies in front of him and the out-stretched arm of their keeper – and as it curled into the top corner, he was already off! What a strike! The County fans in the ground were jubilant! The County bench were all on their feet! 2-1 and a goal of class to give us the lead…
The visitors were not done yet though and they were determined to not give this up just yet – and on 76 minutes, they were level again. Some good football in their midfield saw them pass it quickly and as it was fed in between the lines, there was their No.11 to make no mistake this time – and he smashed his shot against the inside of the post and into the back of our net from about 16 yards. Another good goal and once again, it was back level-pegging. 2-2…
Both sides were going for it now and although we’re in a battle for points, it was clear the lads wanted all three of them available here. But so did the visitors and it was making for a pulsating battle out there. And on 81 minutes, there was more drama – but thankfully it went our way. Robbie Smith once again was instrumental in playing a great ball into the feet of Robbie P out wide and as he drove into the box, he tried to cut it back – only to be taken out by their full-back. The referee and the assistant had no hesitation in awarding the spot-kick immediately – so up stepped Ben to take responsibility. He made his run-up short and BANG! – the ball was nestling in the back of the net in the blink of an eye. We were back in front and had something to defend for these last 10 minutes or so now. 3-2…
As expected, the visitors threw every man and his dog forward now – but Ax was winning header after header in there and had given a sterling performance at centre-half today. And Carl was still ferreting away in search of more – with another stunning dribble seeing them not wanting to put a challenge in just in case they clipped him. He got around most of them and from a tight angle, he drilled his shot in – only to see it beat the keeper but also their far-post. That would have clinched it that’s for sure…
Again back came the team in yellow and another good cross saw their No.11 get his head to it just before Ben – but he could only look back and watch as it went about 10 inches over Ryan’s bar. We made another change – no, not Callum Wright – but on came Liam Haycock in place of Robbie P – who had given his all out there – and as the game ticked into injury-time, it had all of the County contingent begging the referee to blow his whistle. We were told four minutes of added time so we knew that we were going to be bombarded and it was a case of squeezing every last inch of stamina out of our muscles for the cause. The game ticked past the expected time but still it went on – and on 96 minutes, the inevitable happened. The Moorside lads had been pumping it wide and getting the crosses in and this last time, the ball was fed out to their right. Their winger cut inside and went to play his cross in and it looked like it flicked off Liam Hulme’s hand on it’s way in. We all waited for the referee to signal it but play went on – only to see the assistant had already made his way to the goal-line ready for the penalty. Spotting that, the whistle went – and to the distraught of all the County supporters, the spot-kick was given! Up stepped that No.14 and calm as he had been all game, he made no mistake in slamming it past Ryan and into the back of our net. 3-3 and surely that was that…
It was. There was hardly any time for the restart and when the final whistle went, our coaching staff were quick to ask where all that extra-time had come from. Heart-breaking considering the performance we had given out there but as is known all around the world, the game is not over until that whistle says it is. It felt like two points dropped rather than one gained and at this time of the season, that’s not what we want. But the lads gave a good account of themselves out there and as the handshakes were done, both sets of players knew that they had been involved in a really good game of football. If only we didn’t put the ball over the bar so often eh?
We go again. Heyside’s win at Heywood St James today wasn’t what we would have liked but our destiny is still in our own hands and that continues on Tuesday night as we welcome our old foes Pennington to The County Ground for the second time in five days. This one’s a league encounter though so we need to be on it from minute one if we want anything out of it. The coaches will be drilling their lads for it and we’d love to see as many of you there as we can getting right behind them. Nuff respeck’ to the Moorside Rangers players and coaching staff today and we wish you and your supporters a safe journey home and a good end to the season. But for us it’s a matter of making our chances count as if we’d done that today, this could have been so different…
Still 11 games to go. 33 points to play for. So if we play with the same spirit as we did today, we’ll be alright…
#UpTheCounty!
