The 2-2 draw with Pennington a fortnight ago had shown Steve and the lads that things were looking up after the considerably hard start to life in Division 3 – but things were not going to be anything like that challenge today as we were making our way over to Oldham Academy to take on 2nd in the table Royton Town Reserves. We knew we’d need to be at our very best if we wanted to bring anything home with us but with the mood in the camp good, we made our way over optimistic to say the least…
And we had every reason to be that as well – because today’s performance was by far the best that these lads have put in all season – and we only cane home claiming our first victory of the season didn’t we! Each and everyone of them played their part in this – and when the final whistle went, there was a look of disbelief on the faces of all around – because the way this game started would have led nobody to believe how it ended…
It was a pretty slow start from County’s Development squad and an individual error saw the hosts take the lead on 9mins. Then the same thing happened again and within two minutes they had doubled their lead. We really do like making things hard for ourselves don’t we? 0-2 and we had it all to do now…
We started to get a foot-hold in the match then and some good passing and plenty of movement saw us seeing more of the ball. However it was the home-side that scored their third goal of the game on 22mins and as the lads came back for the re-start, the score stood at 0-3…
The boss decided to make a couple of tactical changes in an effort to see if things improved and all the lads responded well to them – working hard for the cause and determined not to simply roll over and let them score as many as they wanted. And on 36 minutes we scored! Some great football saw the ball with Lewis and as he played it in, there was Will to slam it home high past their keeper’s dive and as he wheeled away, his team-mates rushed to celebrate with him. 1-3 and could that be the catalyst for someting amazing? Too right it was…
Because a minute before the break, the same two combined again and as the ball landed in the back of the host’s net, we really did believe now. From going so far behind so soon in the game, we were going in at the break still very much in this – and the travelling supporters were pleased to be able to say that…
Half-time: Royton Town Reserves 3-2 BOLTON COUNTY DEVELOPMENT SQUAD
Ste rallied his troops and reminded them that when we got the ball down and played, we were causing them no end of trouble – so we just needed to keep that going and making sure we defended solidly – and there could be something here for us today. Little did he imagine he was to see what was about to come…
Because within four minutes of the restart, the scores were level – and it was that man Will who got it again to secure his hat-trick. This time he finished off a good move that saw Zac play the ball into him by slotting his shot low and hard to their keeper’s left and into the bottom corner. We had managed to turn this right around and with the score sat at 3-3, there was a steely look in the eyes of the County players. Could we pull off an unbelievable upset here? We believed we could…
And on 53 minutes, we amazingly took the lead! Again that man Zac made it happen as he received a good ball and fed it into the run of Bobby – who looked up and slammed his shot into the back of their net from about 20 yards out – leaving their keeper no chance of stopping it! From 0-3 down we were now 4-3 in front – and this still had over 35 minutes to go!
The home side were stung by what had happened and on 55 minutes, they managed to level the scores with a neat finish to a good move around the edge of our box. But this was still very much anybody’s for the taking and at 4-4, would either side really go for it? Well we did – and it paid off huge dividends..
From that moment forward though, there was only one team that really wanted to win this – and we are so pleased to say it was us! Once again that man Zac was involved in the creativity and as he played a delicious pass into the feet of Will, he did the rest by turning on a sixpence and rifling his shot into the roof of their net from about 12 yards out. 5-4 to County and we were starting to believe that whenever we went forward, we could score…
The game was ticking away with both sides looking for the next goal and on 79 minutes, things changed when the hosts had a man sent off. We took full advantage of that and a minute later, we made it 6-4 with a fifth goal of the game for Will! This time it was Louie was the provider and he slipped a great ball through the channel to see our marksman pull the trigger from about 15 yards out – and as the ball hit the back of their net, it looked as though the hosts knew this was over. We had been superb and they knew it…
Five minutes later we grabbed what was probably the decisive goal with a role-reversal of our previous one – this time Will being the man to feed it to Louie and he finished with aplomb from the edge of the area. 7-4 to County and nobody would have envisaged that when they woke up this morning…
Things didn’t stop there though. Oh no. Because there was still time for us to grab our 8th – and this time it saw some great passing end with Sam playing the ball to the feet of Matty and waiting for precisely the right moment, he crafted a great shot that evaded their keeper and ended in the back of the net. A comprehensive 8-4 win at the home of the team vying for top-spot in the table! That sounds good doesn’t it?
And that was that. Not long after the referee decided he had seen enough and when the whistle went for the final time, we’d won our first game of the season in sensational style! All of them did their bit and what made this so much more pleasing was the poor start we had got off to. The players showed everybody today that they can do more than compete in this league and we really hope that they can take this form into next weekend’s Cup game at home to near-neighbours Bolton Lads and Girls Club Reserves and get our name in the hat of the next round…
Credit to the County fans that made the trip around the M60 to cheer us on today and we’re so pleased that you travelled home as jubilant as we were. What a result! What a performance! We just to do that every week now because it feels good doesn’t it?
See you all next weekend then but for now – UP THE COUNTY!