There are times when a result is just needed. No qualms about a performance. No worries about how it comes. Those three points need to be the main aim and today was one of those days. With the rain hammering The County Ground all week, the decision was made to swap this to the 3g at Thornleigh – due to still having 13 league games left to play as we come into April – so what a decision it was! Because not only did we claim all three points – but we did it with a display that left the plentiful home fans wondering why we are languishing near the foot of that table…
We were welcoming Old Alts this afternoon and knowing that they currently sit one place and one point above us, we knew the importance of this one as we started to arrive. Yes – we have games in hand on most teams around us – but it’s a case of ‘points on the board’ required now and as the lads began their warm-ups, it was good to see a large crowd here to cheer us on. And when the starting 11 was announced, the main news was that Ax was starting on the bench. We were sticking with the 4-3-3 shape and that meant Ryan was between the sticks with a back four made up of Liam and Robbie Smith at full-backs and the usual pairing of Tommo and Hodgy in the middle. We need to add here that as the lads were put through their paces, rumblings started of a price of 6-1 at Pomf.com for Hodgy to score with a header. Somehow – don’t ask us how – the price raised to 12-1 before kick-off and at least one hopeful punter put £5 on it so it was going to be interesting to see what happened. The midfield trio was made up of Carl slotting in there with Shorty and skipper for the day Smalley and the attacking three saw Matty flanked either side by Robbie Pollitt and Charlie. The bench had a choice of Chez, Brian and Ax and as the start loomed, the coaches reminded their lads of the mission here. Play football and do not come off that pitch without something to show for the effort…
The opening exchanges saw County moving the ball quickly and the visitors trying to adjust to our shape and the first chance of note fell to Robbie Smith but he could only shoot weakly straight into the mid-rift of their keeper. It was a sign of things to come though – because less than a minute later we took the lead. A long-ball up top saw Charlie miss his header but he didn’t stop – and he ran hard to close down their defender. The ball bounced back onto the box and as their keeper came out to try and clear it, Matty managed to get his toe to it first and clip it over him and into the empty net. A great start for the blues and as his team-mates rushed to celebrate with him, Matty knew he had done well there. 1-0…
With 10 minutes gone, the away side managed to get the ball forward for the first time and as their striker went to hit it, across came Hodgy to make a great challenge that saw the power come off the shot and Ryan managed to pull it out of the sky with ease. He rolled it out to Robbie Smith who drove down our right and swept a glorious cross into the box that Robbie Pollitt managed to meet with his head but could only see it go wide of the post. A good start from the County lads and the home support were loud in their appreciation…
And things got better because on 13 minutes, we doubled our lead. A great ball from the midfield was fired into Charlie who managed to nod it down into the path of Robbie Pollitt and he made no mistake in slamming it home from about 15 yards out. A tidy finish and we were showing that we really meant business today. 2-0 and we were flying…
The visitors were getting frustrated already and the game became pretty feisty at times – with County awarded several free-kicks in a row due to some tasty tackles. But then they got their first real chance when a long ball over the top saw Robbie Smith mis-time his header and with Ryan stranded, their No.3 could only put his header narrowly wide of the mark. Enough to make us wake up a little and realise that nothing was won yet…
And on 19 minutes we saw a moment that will be talked about in the pubs in Bolton well into the early hours – when the ball came towards their striker’s feet but in nipped Tommo to produce a piece of skill that Neymar would have been proud of. He dragged the ball back towards him then shimmied around their No.10 before leaving him for dust and playing a delicious pass out to the left. We will not hear the last of this believe us – hence it getting into this report. The mood was good and it was about time…
We had the bit between our teeth now and the football was good from front to back. Tommo made a great challenge at the back to stop them surging forward and their first real shot to write home about came on 25 minutes with they fired it high over the bar from 25 yards out and moments later their No.10 showed his frustration with a naughty tackle on Tommo that saw him shown the yellow card.
And then we laughed. Oh how we laughed. Because County won a corner that Carl floated in and as it was cleared back to him, he dribbled past their full-back with ease before driving his cross right along the six-yard line and there was Hodgy to smash the ball goalwards. It hit the post and looked to have gone over the line – but with both teams screaming for it, the match officials decided between them – and as the referee pointed towards the centre-spot, we’d gone 3-0 in front! Not a header that clinched the bet – but we were all still smiling nonetheless. Their No.8 then had his name taken for his protestations but it was all County now and we were enjoying this…
Just past the half-hour mark Old Alts had a great chance to get off the mark but Ryan managed to climb high to tip it over the bar – only to see the Assistant Referee’s flag rised to signal offside. He wasn’t to know that though and it was a fine save anyway. Soon after Shorty hit a great shot towards the bottom corner that their No.1 managed to get down to and flick out for a corner and every time we went forward, we looked like we could at least get an effort on target. Then their No.7 took what looked like an innocuous knock to his head but he went down as though he’d been hit by a bulldozer when in fact it was Tommo! Treatment was required and the resulting throw saw a good cross swung in and another tame header fly easily into Ryan’s clutches. We looked comfortable and it needed to stay that way…
Another good move from our lads saw the ball fed into the feet of Robbie Pollitt and he slammed his shot against the the base of their post and out for a goal-kick. If there was another goal coming soon, the evidence was that it was going to be us that got it. Carl then showed his silky skills by dribbling past three Old Alts defenders – and then coming back to do it again – before they knocked it out for a corner. That came in and their defender flicked it out for another one on the other side and this ended with Carl curling a good effort just wide of the post with the inside of his right foot. The game had gone into injury-time by this point so the man in the middle decided he had seen enough and whistled for the break. It’s the first time in a while we didn’t want to hear it though…
Half-time: BOLTON COUNTY 3-0 Old Altrinchamians
What could the bosses say about that? We had done superbly so far – but that was the message – so far. Nothing was done yet and we had to go out there and play exactly the same again. Focus. Concentration. And just keep doing what you’re doing. The drinks were drunk and before we knew it, they were back out there eager to go again…
From the restart it was clear that the visitors had received a rocket because they looked more lively and more determined now. That didn’t stop Smalley going on a great run that saw him dribble past a few but as the ball was nicked off his toes, their defender played a back-pass into his keeper’s hands – but the referee didn’t think so and on went the game. They were still biting into their tackles and the referee was working hard to keep a lid on things at times. Thankfully though the County lads were not getting involved and we just kept dusting ourselves down and going again. With the Club President and various Directors in the crowd, this was all-round good stuff…
Robbie Smith made a good run inside and as he played a great 1-2 on the edge of their box, he managed to get his shot off but the deflection took the pace of it and their keeper managed to gather it with ease. We’d had an hour of football now and County had been on top for nearly all of them so far. We won a corner on the left and with the crowd pleading with it to land on Hodgy’s head, Carl played it in only to see them clear it back to him. With precision, he clipped it back in and there was our No.5 to rise highest and get his head to the ball – only for the referee to blow for a push on their defender. So close – but was it still to come?
With 69 minutes gone we made our first change of the afternoon when Charlie received a warm round of applause as he came off for Ax and as the minutes ticked away, this second half had been a lot more even. The team in yellow were doing more now and as times, they were giving us things to think about. But in truth, Smalley had bossed it all game from the central areas and whenever he was in possession of the ball, his calmness and vision saw us turn defence into attack in an instant. With 78 minutes on the watch, Liam seemed to receive a slap in the face but as we had the ball, the referee made the right decision in waving play-on – and Robbie Pollitt managed to get his shot away – only to put it straight at their No.1 and he managed to divert it from danger. He was involved again minutes later when some great intricate passing around the edge of their box saw Robbie’s snap-shot go towards goal – but their keeper matched it and made a good save low down. From the corner, Carl found Ax who headed it back to him and as he went to pull the trigger, the flag put paid to that…
The away side felt everything was going against them today and when it looked as though Ax had made a great defensive header to put it over our bar for a corner, the fact that the match official awarded a goal-kick to us infuriated the visitors. Their No.6 was yellow-carded shortly after for another argument about a challenge and as the seconds ticked away, we didn’t mind any of this. And then it came. To the delight of the County fans gathered all along the touchline. Matty played a great ball into the path of Robbie Pollitt whose shot was met by their keeper’s feet and out for our 16th corner of the game. Once more the shout from the home faithful was ‘Hodgy’s head!’ and this time Carl duly obliged. A brilliant corner saw our Hodgy rise like a salmon to plant a great header down and into the bottom corner giving their No.1 no chance of stopping it! There was manic scenes as everybody celebrated and with Pomf.com now £60 down, we were all giggling. He did try giving the punter his stake back – so it will be interesting to see how that ended – but with jubilant scenes, we’d done what we’d set out to do today. 4-0, a clean sheet and a solid performance. Happy days!
It wasn’t long after that when the whistle went to signal the end of the game and as the handshakes were done with pride, the County players knew that this was a case of ‘more like it’. We had played really well today and showed that this is what we are capable of when we put the work in. Depending on results, this could see us out of that bottom three and with Manchester Gregs to come to Radcliffe Road next weekend, another performance like this is very much what we’d all like to see. There is no doubt that each and every one of them did their jobs today and it provided the three points – but Smalley was head and shoulders the best player on that park today. A great display from the skipper and one that needed mentioning…
So on we go. Things are getting interesting now. 12 games to go and with the next five of them being at home, we’d love to see that many of you there roaring us on. The support was superb today and it was very much appreiciated. See you all again in seven days’ time yeah?
A good day at the office. We’d have taken that when we woke up this morning wouldn’t we?
#UpTheCounty!