Venue: Bold Miners Neighbourhood Centre
Date: 29.06.2024
Final Score: Bold Miners FC 2-3 The Church Inn FC
Bold Miners FC kicked off their pre-season campaign with an exciting and hard-fought match against The Church Inn FC, a team from Warrington & District Division 2. The encounter at the Bold Miners Neighbourhood Centre showcased both teams’ determination and skill, with the visitors ultimately emerging victorious by a narrow 3-2 margin.
First Half:
Bold Miners started the game brightly, with new signing Liam Stanley, who joined from Division 3 champions Black Brook Youth & Development, leading the attack. The home side took an early lead in the 13th minute. Midfielder Jack Seddon, who delivered a standout performance throughout the match, made a driving run and threaded a perfect pass to James Hynes. Hynes, with a composed finish, drove the ball low into the bottom corner, giving Bold Miners a deserved 1-0 lead.
Defensively, Bold Miners were bolstered by debuts from Elliot Coggins at left-back and Gabriel Ursu at centre-back. Both players integrated well into the team’s backline, keeping The Church Inn at bay for the remainder of the first half.
Half-Time: Bold Miners FC 1-0 The Church Inn FC
Second Half:
The second half saw both teams vying for control. The scoreline remained unchanged until the 68th minute when The Church Inn’s James Lang equalised, demonstrating his prowess with a well-taken direct free-kick.
However, Bold Miners responded immediately. Just a minute later, Liam Stanley showcased his playmaking abilities by setting up Euan McArthur, who calmly restored Bold Miners’ lead at 2-1.
The Church Inn, undeterred, continued to press forward and were rewarded in the 82nd minute when Shane Littler found the back of the net, leveling the score once again.
In the dying moments of the match, The Church Inn’s James Lang struck a magnificent free-kick – this time, a looping effort from long range – securing a 3-2 victory for the visitors.
Despite the loss, Bold Miners could take many positives from the game, particularly the performances of their new signings.
Player Performances:
- Jack Seddon: Awarded Player of the Match for his dominant display in midfield, including the assist for the opening goal.
- Liam Stanley: Made a great debut, providing a crucial assist and consistently threatening the opposition’s defense.
- Elliot Coggins, Tom Graham & Gabriel Ursu: All 3 new defenders impressed on their debuts, showing promise for the upcoming season.
- James Hynes: Opened the scoring with a well-taken goal and was a constant threat.
Substitutes:
New signings Tom Graham, Chris Woods, and Marius Mehelean were named on the bench, and – along with first team regulars Jamie Knowles, Damon Baker and Danny Malone – all got some minutes during the match, although Marius Mehelean unfortunately picked up an ankle injury and had to be withdrawn early in the second half.
Kieran McKelvie was brought on 5 minutes before full-time as he stepped up his recovery from a calf injury.
Conclusion:
Despite the narrow defeat, Bold Miners FC can be proud of their performance against higher division opposition. The debuts of Stanley and Ursu were particularly encouraging, and the team’s overall display bodes well for the season ahead. With continued development and integration of the new signings, Bold Miners FC look set to build on this promising start to their pre-season campaign.
