Bury Amateur Res 2-4 Mellor Thirds
Match report provided by Third Team Manager Adam Axford:
Another away game for the Thirds this week, the fifth so far out of the seven games we have played this season. Finally we had a full team in terms of numbers, with a couple still sidelined with long term injuries. We travelled to Bury after a determined win against Tintwistle, a team that hasn't beaten us now in five league games! Bury were our bogie team last year, beating us in our final league game and all but costing us the league title in a game that kicked off nearly an hour late meaning that two of our players could only take part in the first half.
The game had been moved to a different pitch to normal for Bury due to vandalism and it meant we played on a very short but very wide surface. Bury started the better team and put together some great moves, passing their way through us while we struggled to get our shape. We needed to be calmer in possession and make more of the ball but we were undone after a throw in and some 1-2s from Bury lead to a great strike into the top corner, Benn in net had no chance as the ball bounced down behind the line and into the roof of the net. The goal seemed to spark us into life and we were much better for the next 10-15 mins. Luke Skeer leading the back four with some calm play under pressure, sweeping up at the back and playing the ball out wide to the full backs Barlow and Compson. On 30 mins a Nick Entwistle who was struggling with an injury was replaced by Nick Broadway and we shuffled the formation from 4-4-1-1 to 4-5-1. The score stayed at 1-0 and then just before half time the Bury captain was sent off for pushing and then swearing at the referee, not a great combination if you want to stay on the pitch.
At half time we regrouped and realised what we needed to do to firstly get back into the match and then go on to win it. We started the second half much better, controlling the game and snuffing out any threats from Bury who had started to play the long-ball now they had a man less.
On the 63rd minute a dangerous ball in from Matt McNulty on the right was stabbed home by leading scorer IAN Arnfield to draw us level. Just two minutes later after some patient build up on the left the ball fell to Jack Kuehl just inside the Bury half, who thumped the ball goalwards, the keeper completely misjudged it and it went through his hands into the net above his head.
For the next ten minutes Bury had a bit more possession and after a foul just inside the box they levelled the game at 2-2 with an unsavable penatly into the top right hand corner of the goal. This only spurred us on as we went on to score two in five minutes, Chris Barlow, now playing on the Right hand side was provider for both, first to IAN Arnfield and then to skipper to Jack Kuehl, both players deservedly getting a brace to cap a great performance.
For the final ten minutes we soaked up any attacks and continued to make chances, hitting the bar twice and having a goal (incorrectly) dissallowed after Barlow crossed from the byline for Ian Arnfield to head-in.
All in all a good performance from the lads, the game may have been different if it had been XI v XI for the 90 minutes however Bury only have their captain to blame for this.
We now have two home games on the run (The second being Bury again) and we need to continue to play well and pick up points if we want to do well in this tough league.
Up the Thirds!
