Oldham Hulm. 1 Old Bolts Res 3
After 2 hard earned draws the Reserves turned up at Oldham with a bit of a spring in the step, despite being 5 minutes late for kick off due to poor directions from Neil Davies!!
There were again selection problems with 6 players missing from the previous Saturday's game. With Old Timer Richard Morris aka Don Brennan being taken from the 3rd team bench and put straight into the 2nd team line up the average age of the team rose significantly. Brennan brought a composure to the back four with his now trademark slices down the left wing and his 50 pence heading meant he settled into the 2nd team back four without a hitch.
Despite not warming up properly we started well and were on the front foot from the off. Chances though came and went with Collings and Chadwick blazing wide when it seemed easier to score!!. With 30 mins played Bolts finally got the breakthrough their good play had deserved when a well saved Neasham shot fell kindly to Ben Moores who calmly placed his left foot shot beyond the keeper. More chances came John Collings way but again he fluffed his chances and the score was only 1-0 at halftime.
Oldham came out in the 2nd half and started well but the back four kept the chances down to a minimum. Bolts again started to come on strong but just couldn't get the vital 2nd goal until a well worked move found Wes Wright on the left who crossed well and Collings finally got his goal as he somehow bundled the ball over the line.2-0.
Morris shouted for the team to concentrate and not let Oldham back in the game, so within 2 minutes Oldham had scored as their Striker broke the offside trap to slot home. Then came the usual 5 minutes of panic as Oldham put the pressure on but with Flapper Hopkins in goal making one World Class save, we knew the game was ours. The icing was put on the cake when a flowing breakaway move found Mike Dawson to coolly slot home his first for the club and finish off Oldham. 3-1.
A good Team performance overall with good individual performances from Morris, Moores and Hibbert all just behind MOM Mark Thomasson who must now be knocking on the 1st team door.