Horwich Victoria - 3 Old Bolts Res - 4

Not sure where to start with this report, this was a game that had everything and more!!

Top of the league Horwich, with the advantage of the wind, started the game brightly and Bolts were laboured in getting out of the traps. It was no surprise when Horwich opened the scoring from a corner and this was the shot in the arm Bolts needed. Almost immediately Bolts went up the other end and equalised, a free kick on the edge of the box deflected off the wall into the path of Vinny Hulton who coolly finished from close range. 1-1.

A whistle and card happy referee seemed intent on slowing the game down at every opportunity but to both sides credit it didn't effect the flow of the game as both sides went at it. Just before halftime however the ref awarded a disputed penalty to Horwich as he adjudged Vinny Hulton had handled the ball from another Horwich corner. Up stepped the striker who finished high into the roof of the net giving Ollie Neasham no chance in goal.

Halftime 2-1 to Horwich but confidence was still high and with the advantage of the wind in the 2nd half the talk was to try and take advantage of it. This is what Bolts did and they pinned Horwich deep in their half and from a free kick wide on the right, Andy Hibbert crossed well for Chris Neasham to put a fine header beyond the keeper and pull the scores level. 2-2.

Within a minute Bolts had the lead as Ollie Neasham kicked long out of his hands, the wind got hold of the ball and as the Horwich defender back peddled he tried to head the ball away but inadvertently put past his own keeper, 3-2 Old bolts and a goal for the football c**k up videos!!

Back came Horwich and they pressed hard for an equaliser, Mark Thomasson and Chris Hulton were standing firm at the back, the midfield of James Gray and Andy Hibbert were fighting for every ball and throughout the team everyone was doing there bit.

With 15 minutes to go the ref once again gave a dodgy penalty to Horwich as he adjudged Thomo had fouled the Horwich forward but this time the penalty rebounded off the bar and away as justice prevailed. With just a few minutes remaining of the 90 a poorly worked free kick by Bolts gave Horwich the chance to counter attack and this they did to great effect as the Horwich sub fired well past Ollie Neasham to earn Horwich what they thought would at least be a point. 3-3. Worse was to follow for Bolts as Wes Wright was then sent off for complaining to the ref. Then inexplicably the referee claimed there was 5 minutes of injury time remaining and Bolts were clinging on to a point for dear life!! There must have been at least 5 minutes of injury time played when Bolts managed to win a free kick on the half way line to huge relief and the plan was to just keep the ball in Horwich's half. Chris Hulton fired the ball forward and with the wind behind it went dangerously into the Horwich area and it flicked off the top of the defenders head into the corner of the goal past the keeper !!!! Cue mass celebrations from the Old Bolts team, anyone watching would have thought they had just won the world Cup!!! More celebrations were to follow as Horwich didn't even have time to kick off before the ref blew the final whistle.

A superb performance and victory and proof if was needed that when all players are available the 2nd team is a useful outfit.

MOM James Gray