Bold Miners notched their first league win of the season with a commanding 5-2 victory against Halton Borough, marking two games unbeaten in the league following a 2-2 draw at Whittle Hall. This win comes after a tough 7-1 cup defeat to Pex Hill.
The match saw new striker Matt McBride making his first league start at home, after debuting against Pex Hill in the cup. With key players Gregory, Flaherty, and Euan McArthur out injured, the team had to adapt.
The first half ended goalless, largely thanks to goalkeeper Paul Strickland, who made three crucial saves within a minute to keep the scores level. McBride had a couple of chances to put Bold Miners in front, but one shot was saved from close range and another went narrowly wide.
The breakthrough came minutes into the second half. Gareth Griffiths opened the scoring after the Halton Borough keeper parried a McBride shot into his path, allowing Griffiths to head home.
Minutes later, Bold Miners doubled their lead. McBride latched onto a long free-kick from Al Wright, scoring his first goal for the club.
Drama ensued as the opposition manager hurled verbal abuse towards the referee, resulting in an abrupt dismissal with a red card. Shortly afterward, Halton Borough pulled one back, making it 2-1.
After Jake Wilson was pushed in the back, Jack Seddon curled a free-kick into the area, which deflected off the head of a Halton Borough defender, extending the lead to 3-1.
Goalkeeper Strickland then claimed an assist, his long ball finding McBride, who converted to make it 4-1, securing a home debut double.
The match saw more drama as Jake Wilson, involved again with the player who pushed him earlier, kept his composure while the Halton Borough player was sent off for violent conduct after attempting to initiate a fight with Wilson.
Halton Borough converted a penalty to make it 4-2 with 10 minutes to go.
Substitute Kieran McKelvie, recently returned to a more natural attacking position after playing left-back during pre-season, sealed the win. Fresh off the bench, McKelvie found himself unmarked at the back post. McBride’s cross was intelligently dummied by fellow substitute Will McArthur, allowing McKelvie an easy finish to round off the scoring and confirm a 5-2 win.
This victory moved Bold Miners up the table and provided a much-needed confidence boost as they continue their league campaign.
