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With the 2nd year apprentices having learned their fate on Friday we had a much depleted player pool to choose from. Even a number of 1st year lads had been given the morning off meaning our starting line up had U-15 player Dave Lynch in the middle of the park alongside the U-16's Oliver Devenney. U-16 striker Dom Knowles also started with the remainder of the starting XI our 1st year intake. The entire bench consisted of schoolboys as well, with Welshman Liam Newman the most experienced.
The match started slowly and for the first half hour or so there were only a couple of half chances for either team. Wes Fletcher had two attempts after clever flicks by Knowles and one of the Bury forwards also had two shots, with one in particular causing Stef Ritchie to scramble. James Craggs was also forced from the field after suffering from a damaged ankle which will likely end his season, and he was replaced by U-15 winger Tom Taylor.
We finally broke the deadlock through Fletcher, who was himself returning from an injury lay off. He made a strong run to latch onto a flicked pass from the substitute and out-muscled the defender, finishing coolly past the keeper. He could, and should, have added a second shortly after when released by Ben Hoskin, but could only find the keeper.
Bury made us pay for the missed chance by drawing level shortly after. The goal seemingly came from nothing with the ball being moved across from a throw in on the right wing and finding its way to a Shakers midfielder who smashed home from 25 yards.
The second half began with us the brighter side. Within two minutes Fletcher was again through one-on-one but the keeper saved his shot well with his legs. Not much long after though we did re-take the lead and, unsurprisingly, it was Fletcher who got it. The assist came from the left wing as Tom Taylor swung the ball over with Fletcher clipping home from around 6 yards.
Bury carved out a couple of chances in an attempt to draw level once more and Ritchie made one fine reaction save low to his right. Straight after the lively Bury number 10 should have made no mistake when we were totally undone by a ball over the top but fired wide with the keeper badly placed. Fletcher and Knowles were then replaced with Newman and U-15 forward James Taylor entering the fray.
As the minutes counted down Dil Chaggar had a glorious chance to make it three after good work by the two Taylors gave him sight of goal with copious time and space, but he rushed his shot and blazed high, wide and handsome.
Team :- Stef Ritchie, Ben Hoskin, Matt Lomas, Dan Brown, Chris Lynch, James Craggs (Tom Taylor), Oliver Devenney, Dave Lynch, Dil Chaggar, Wes Fletcher (Liam Newman), Dom Knowles (James Taylor).
Sub not used :- Josh Few