Football has been so fragmented for County Reserves since the end of November – and with only the County Cup loss to Appley Bridge since then, it was always going to be difficult to find our ryhtmn again. So today’s trip to high-flying Chadderton EDS was already going to be a tough ask – and that was made even harder with the hurdles and barriers we’ve had to face this week. With the boss at a family funeral – that also saw Gatesie unavailable – there were several other key figures amongst the squad not to hand for this one. But Callum and Brian were most definitely up for the challenge and all that they hoped now was that the lads had that same passion and determination when they walked on that pitch..
Things went from bad to worse though because players then started dropping out last-minute but it was Callum on his phone from 8am making sure we had a squad to go over with. That call was answered and from obscurity came Kain McGaughey and Ryan Garner come and join the ranks. Both of these lads are sensational goalkeepers but they were coming to be in the thick of things to help our cause today. So as we left Bolton and made our way towards the M60, the mood in the camp was good but there was one aim and one aim only. Come home with at least something and that would be a fantastic achievement. And you know what? They only did it as well…
The scene was set as we arrived and the pitch looked big and wide so we could play our football. But today we were playing against a team that had won all five home games so far this season and scoring 30 goals in the process – so we were all going to have to put 110% effort in here. The coaches warmed up our boys and with kick-off approaching, there was an air around the ground of both sides really wanting to win this. We named our starting 11 and it saw Pomf – fresh from his great display for the first-team last weekend – between the sticks and the back-four was made up of Rav on the right and the returning old-boy Shaun on the left – with skipper Matty Leigh partnered by the also-returning Aaron Barnard-Sutton in the central area. The midfield trio saw Kain slide in there with Robbo and Jude and the front-three asked to shoot us to glory was to be Nathan and Ste flanking either side of Ryan in the middle. That left us with Josh Nicholson, Callum Chadwick, Ben, Bradders and new-signing Mattieu on the bench if we needed to spruce things up. The lads made their final preparations as Callum and Brian issued them with their individual tasks and reminded them that these 90 minutes needed to see us leave everything out there. We made our way out there and before we knew it, the game was underway…
It was County that were quickest into our stride and with 6 minutes on the watch, we managed to feed the ball into the run of Jude who saw his shot from close range saved well by the host’s keeper. Nathan went across and as he swung the ball in, there was Kain to rise like a salmon to connect with the ball Ricardo Santos-like – but as the ball looked destined for the back of their net, from nowhere came a superb goal-line clearance and the chance was gone. We were looking good already though…
As the half wore on, it was County that were getting the better of the chances – but we just couldn’t force the ball over their line. Ryan himself had at least six chances to put us in front during this first-half but a mixture of good keeping, good defending and wayward finishing saw the parity maintained. So when the man in the middle blew his whistle to signal the break, both sides came in knowing it was still all to play for…
Half-time: Chadderton EDS 0-0 BOLTON COUNTY RESERVES
As the lads gathered to sip their drinks and prepare for the second-half, there wasn’t much need for the coaches to speak – as the skipper took over and as Matty explained, we had been playing some really good football – but we needed to test their keeper more. If the chance popped up, take a whack and let’s see what this keeper was all about. The defence were working well to keep their chances to a minimum but when they did get through, Pomf was looking assured and confident that they wouldn’t get past him. Jude was playing out of his skin in the middle of the park and supported well by Robbo and Kain, we looked solid in there. Just go and do it again lads and this should go our way. They took a deep breath and before we knew it, they were back out there ready to go again…
The second-half started pretty much as the first had ended – with County on top and playing the better football – but on 55 minutes all of our hard work could have gone to waste as the hosts nearly took the lead. A long ball over the top caught us off-guard and with their 6ft+ striker thinking he was through on goal, he didn’t account for 5ft 6in Rav to come across and win the ball! Everybody in the ground thought there was only one winner there – but Brannigan proved them wrong alright! We did have to withstand some heavy pressure for a while then and with Shaun’s lack of game-time now starting to show, he was done for pace a couple of times down the flank. But Aaron was playing superbly and he kept coming across to cover and make sure that Pomf was protected as much as possible. Add to that the fact that Matty Leigh was his usual solid-self and when he is organising his troops like he did out there today, we will always stand a chance. With 65 minutes gone and legs tiring a little, we decided to make a couple of changes that saw Nathan and Ryan come off to be replaced by Josh Nicholson and Callum Chadwick – and within minutes Josh could have given us the lead. With the goal beckoning, their centre-half managed to get across to close him down just before he could pull the trigger and the chance was gone. Whoever got that first goal was going to be in a really strong position here…
73 minutes on the clock and the hosts won themselves a free-kick about 25 yards from goal – and as Pomf built his wall, there seemed to be a air of expectancy floating across the home supporters. Their guy placed the ball with purpose and as he crafted it towards the top-corner, there was Pomf to dive full-length to tip it around his post and away from danger. The fact that it was indirect was only a debate afterwards – but it was an outstanding save by our keeper none the less…
Everything seemed to calm down a litte then and it looked as though both sides were happy to take a point from this – but with 85 minutes a good ball put Robbo clean through on goal. But agonisingly the ball was on the wrong side of his body and with his shape all wrong, all he could do was put his shot high over the bar. So close and on another day, there was the winner…
But that was that. The referee decided he had seen enough and when he blew to indicate the end of the game, the 90 minutes of hard graft had been rewarded with a share of the spoils to take home with us. Our unbeaten league run still intact and a remarkable result considering the efforts gone to raise a squad! Hats off to each and every one of the lads that pulled on that blue shirt this afternoon and as the dust settles, you’ll all realise how important a point that could turn out to be. Thanks to our hosts Chadderton EDS and considering we’ll see a lot of each other in upcoming weeks, that was a good one to start with wasn’t it?
Callum and Brian praised them to the hilt as each and every one of them had done what was asked of them and as we got ready to leave, there was a proudness amongst that group of players. We had worked hard here and to leave with a point – the only point that the hosts had given up here since August – showed there is a resilience within this group. Nuff respeck’ to the lads that didn’t manage to get on the pitch today as well – it was a close game and difficult to decide what to do for the best – so well done for bearing with us. Let’s hope that they show it again next weekend eh? Off to Tonge Cricket Club for a few sherbets it was…
UpTheCounty!