Flying start in first ever game

MILNTHORPE CORS....... 2 ROSSENDALE FC ............ 4

ROSSENDALE FC reserves got off to a flier in their first ever fixture in the West Lancashire league setup in what was an entertaining, but hard fought victory on opening day.

Following on from the success of the first team last season, albeit with the season being ripped from under their feet as title success loomed.

Rossendale have now pushed forward and taken a reserve team into the West Lancashire league in order to enable a better standard of football, attract better quality players and ensure players are ready to make the step up into the first team should they be needed throughout the season and be at the level expected to play there once they make that step.

In line with this a new management team was appointed pre-season with Jonathan Heap, who helped with the first team last season, stepping down to the reserves and being joined in a joint managerial role by Former Rossendale United player Chris Clark.

Onto the game and it was glorious conditions. The sun was shining and the pitch was like a carpet fit to grace any footballing side in the lovely surroundings of Milnthorpe.

Both teams early on were very competitive, but also quite cagey. Rossendale looked the most comfortable on the ball and were playing around with it very well with Milnthorpe taking the more direct approach which the Rossendale defence cleared up every time.

Most of the action was being played in the middle of the park, with a lot of Rossendale moves breaking down at the crucial moment. Returning former skipper Jonathan Booth seemed to relish the battle in midfield as time and again he broke up play then set Rossendale for another attack.

On the 32nd minute new signing striker Martin Trickett broke the deadlock with a typical poachers goal as left back Oliver Williams swung in a cross, Trickett found space and tapped home for his first of the season and carried on his prolific scoring from pre season games.

At 1-0 now the game still kept at the same sort of flow with both teams trying to unlock each other but to no avail. Chances were few and far between but eventually Rossendale doubled their lead just before half time when midfielder Craig Watts curled a nice ball down the right wing into young striker Tom Walker who outmuscled his man, cut into the box and expertly finished a low drilled drive into the bottom left hand corner, textbook finish across the keeper.

Coming out after half time at 2-0 the players no doubt had been told the next goal was critical. If Milnthorpe got it then game on, but another Rossendale goal and it would have no doubt killed the fixture.

Both teams continued to probe not really working to many good chances but on 63 minutes the game burst into life when Milnthorpe pulled a goal back with a good finish from distance leaving the Rossy keeper with no chance. The home side massively buoyed by this started to really up the tempo aided by three substitutions and some fresh legs and eventually the pressure told Five minutes later with another goal, this time a simple tap in following a cross from the left which wasn’t dealt with properly by the stags defence.

It really looked like Rossy were down and out and the home side with a large crowd behind them looked fresh and rejuvenated. They nearly took the lead had it not been for a fantastic finger tip save from keeper Matty Moore.

Rossy made a substitution, brought on Andrew Whittaker at right back and pushed Milan Tinat who had had a storming game at right back constantly raiding forward was put into midfield. This seemed to freshen up the central midfield area and the stags began to move the ball much quicker with Milan now raiding through the middle and pressing Milnthorpe back instead of the wing and they struggled to cope.

Trickett and both nearly score from long range and Lewis Reeder should have done better when he shot from distance instead of playing in Walker at the crucial moment.

On 76 minutes though the Rossendale pressure was too much. Walker smashed a shot from distance which proved too hot for the Milnthorpe keeper to handle, he pushed it to his left where Trickett as composed as ever didn’t try and take the shot on, instead turned on the ball, looked up and took everyone by surprise when he chipped the ball back to the edge of the area where Craig Watts volleyed home with a right foot drive into the bottom left hand corner.

Milnthorpe now deflated and with Rossy looking fresh and fired up couldn’t get out of their half and it wasn’t long before Rossy put the game beyond doubt when Walker this time turned provider with a ball over the top for Lewis Reeder who outpaced his man and curled the ball from distance past the onrushing keeper into the top right hand corner for a 4-2 victory.

After the game joint manager Chris Clark said: “I’m extremely happy with that performance. It’s always brilliant to get off to a good start especially where I believe will be a tough place to come this season for any side. We didn’t start the game especially well, but what was pleasing was when we had chances we took them really well and were quite ruthless in front of goal. That last 20 minutes we were irresistible and it was a pleasure to watch. It showed the fitness work we’ve done pre season was coming to the fore and I was particularly pleased with the likes of Milan Tinat who I thought was man of the match, Oli Williams was exceptional

“In defence and it was great to see Johnny Booth back at the club where he belongs getting stuck in in the midfield and leading by example.

“We’ve got three home games on the bounce now and hopefully the large crowds that were up watching the first team today well over 150 people will come and get behind the reserves whilst they are away for the next three weeks. We want to make the people of Rossendale proud of this club.”