U13's 5 v Westhouhton 1
This game was eagerly awaited by both teams with the result going the way of Billinge due in the main, to a fantastic performance and in part to a depleted Westhoughton Team. The table, before today's game showed that this would be a close affair and in truth it was for 40 minutes but the lack of substitutes for Westhoughton and the quality of Billinge allowed a gap to open up in the last third of this game as their players tired as they had been asked to work very hard because Billinges use of the ball had them running a long way to close it down today.
The first half opened brightly with four chances created, two to each team, but the result stayed locked at 0-0 although the more clear cut chances were falling to Billinge. Just before half time a ball to the left corner, as Billinge played up the hill, sat up nicely for Bradders who crossed the ball after a shout from Leyland right in front of him to allow him to smash the ball home from 15 yards to the keepers left.
Half time 1-0
Rooke came on to replace Bradders up front who moved to left mid and Leyland came off for 20 minutes. Owen replaced the excellent Ayre at left Back and Fletcher replaced Barron at right Midfield who had also played excellently. Bibby was also excellent today and like Ayre tackled and distributed the ball well from full back.
Rooke made an immediate impact after a through ball from Sinnott as he jinked through three defenders opened up his body and smashed the ball wide of the keeper to make it 2 – 0. Four minutes later a superb cross from Bradders was missed by Frederick and Rooke coolly anticipated the ball to smash the ball wide of the despairing keeper.
Westhoughton then got a deserved first goal, as a result of their never say die attitude as the ball was played across and a curling shot beat Hamilton to creep in at the right post. This woke up Weshoughton and after a challenge on the edge of the box by Fletcher they won a deserved penalty which was hit straight down the excellent Hamilton's throat . Mention must be made of Hamilton who positioning and handling was excellent all day.
Leyland then came on for Bradders and Ayre came back on at left back with Owen going to right Midfield and Barron came on for Bradshaw whose tireless closing down and running along with the superb Sinnott was the bedrock of this Victory. Barron had been excellent in the first half now adding steel to his game. Mention must also go to Saxon and Crawford at Centre back who never let the ball go past them and were early to the challenge and played with a lot of intelligence especially in the second half when they came under pressure.
Goal four came from great interplay on the edge of the Westhougton box between Rooke and Frederick and Frederick waltzed through to smash the ball into the roof of the net.
Goal five came after a great Sinnott cross field ball to find Leyland who jinked inside to unleash a drive into the bottom corner.
Westhoughton will provide a slightly sterner test away from home with the two or three players back they need in their first eleven but it was Billinge’s day today as we go second in the table and with the prospect of each team now playing each other three times and the team gelling, the rest of the season could prove very interesting.