Bold Miners FC 2 – 8 Warrington Dominos
In what was undoubtedly the toughest test of pre-season so far, Bold Miners FC faced off against a formidable Warrington Dominos team at the Bold Miners Neighbourhood Centre. Warrington Dominos, a Division 1 team in the Sunday League last season, have transitioned into the Saturday 3rd Division, bringing with them a high level of skill and intensity.
The match began disastrously for Bold Miners, with a goal conceded in the very first minute. An attempted clearance by Gabriel Ursu rebounded off a Dominos attacker and flew past Chris Wood, setting the tone for a challenging game. Warrington Dominos doubled their lead within the first 10 minutes. However, Bold Miners quickly responded as Gareth Griffiths converted from close range after a corner kick fortuitously fell to him.
The opening 15 minutes were frantic and end-to-end, with Warrington Dominos quickly restoring their two-goal advantage to make it 3-1. The Miners’ defense struggled to contain the relentless pressure from the Dominos attackers.
Kieran McKelvie, who had an outstanding game against Penlake, was forced off injured after a poor challenge from behind, disrupting the team’s defensive stability. Warrington Dominos capitalized on this and went 4-1 up in the 37th minute when their winger outmuscled substitute full-back Rob Rylance and slotted a left-footed effort past Wood.
Bold Miners reduced the deficit to 4-2 just before half-time when James Hynes coolly converted a penalty after a foul in the box.
The second half started with a substitution as Kieran Chilton replaced Jordan McCririe. Unfortunately, Chilton had to be taken off 10 minutes later due to a severe ankle injury, later confirmed as ligament damage. Despite this setback, Euan McArthur came close to adding a third goal for Bold Miners, hitting the post after being played through by Tommy Howard.
A critical mistake in the 70th minute saw Chris Wood throw the ball straight to an opposition player, who lobbed Carl Chisnall as he tried to cover, making it 5-2. Just three minutes later, Wood failed to hold onto the ball after an initial save, allowing Warrington Dominos an easy tap-in to increase their lead to 6-2.
Further substitutions were made, including the first pre-season appearance for Colin Rylance, who replaced Tommy Howard in midfield. Dan Malone came on for Carl Chisnall, and Owen Flaherty returned to the squad, replacing Rob Rylance at right-back after missing the Penlake game.
Warrington Dominos continued to dominate, adding a seventh goal with a low drive from outside the area in the 84th minute. They finished the scoring with a volley from a cross to the far post in the 87th minute, sealing a comprehensive 8-2 victory.
Despite the heavy defeat, there were positives for Bold Miners. The team showed improved composure in possession, playing out from the back throughout the game, a testament to the work done by Manager Luke Lawson in training. Gareth Griffiths, taking the number 9 shirt after Liam Stanley’s move to FC St Helens Reserves, performed admirably at centre-forward, being a physical presence and scoring a goal.
This match was a learning experience for Bold Miners against a strong opposition, and the team will look to build on the positives as they prepare for the upcoming season.
