WIGAN LEAGUE
U14's 2 v Bleakhill 1
This was a closely contested affair which the physically dominant Billinge
shaded as a result of sheer determination not to lie down by the boys
tonight.
With Hazeldine, Bradshaw, Heywood, Bailey and Nickson outstanding tonight
the will to win collectvly after losing to Ashton the previous week by a
flattering scoreline shone through.
The game started with Billinge in determined mood with several clear cut
chances not taken as Billinge pressed up the hill and the Bleakhill Keeper
was kept alert. Billinge's inability to turn theier lions share of
possession in midfield into clear goalscoring opportunities for the strikers
by holding onto the ball too long and not getting their heads up early
prevented the scoreline being any more than 1-0 after a strong run through
the centre and a well taken chot in the bottom corner finally beat the
Bleakheill keeper.
The second half started brightly for Bleakhill and for 20 minutes they were
the better team and thier equaliser (the first shot on target in the whole
game) came as the ball looped up and hit their forward and fell kindly into
the path of another of thier players to make it 1-1.
This fuelled the determination of Bleakhill playing at home and they began
to knock the ball about.
Billinge then pushed Bradshaw up friont and Nickson into midfield to stem
the tide and search for the winner they deserved and almost immediately this
paid off with Heywood sending a superb through ball into Bradshaws path and
all he had to do was steer a great shot to the right of the keeper to make
it 2-1
There was only 4 minutes to go and Bleakhill had run out of ideas and so the
game ended amid jubilant Billinge celebrations as this first win for our new
team was just what they needed...
A team was born tonight on Ecclesfield Playing Fields and the boys will take
confidence now.