Bury Relics Over 75’s went into their second set of fixtures of the Greater Manchester Division 1 Walking Football Spring 2025 league campaign with a squad of Eddy (GK), Dave, Bob, JoMo, plus the Salcom trio of Billy, Joe and Kev. Ian McKinnon was Manager with supporters Pat, Kieran, Ken, Frank, Kodak Keith and Ken Bond enjoying the Heywood sunshine.
First up were Invincibles with Dave on the bench. We started the game well and looked in control but weren’t getting the shots in that our possession warranted. The 5 minute half time break saw Dave replace Bob for the restart. The Invincibles management team made a couple of tactical changes and they were a completely different proposition in the second half. The game was evenly balanced but, unfortunately, our propensity for trying to force the play resulted in 4 fouls and a penalty which was clinically dispatched for an unlucky 1-0 loss.
Next up were Rochdale with Kev on the bench. They had a great 3 – 0 win in their first match and had a very strong squad on show so we definitely went into this as underdogs on our earlier second half showing. Both teams began strongly but the defining moment was a brilliant curling left footed shot JoMo hit from the right hand touchline which went in off the inside of the far post after 5 minutes. We relaxed and knocked the ball around well for the rest of the half. Kev came on for Joe at half time. This time we did not let our standard slip in the second half but instead we actually raised it with some wonderful stuff being played. Rochdale were trying hard to get a foothold but we just didn’t let up. JoMo’s second goal came from a defensive mix up which presented him with a loose ball 8 metres out, he hit it on the half turn into the top corner of the net with the goalie completely caught out by such quick thinking. We saw the game out with long passing moves with the ref eventually blowing for time at the end of a 15 pass move. A tremendous 2 – 0 victory.
Last up were Tameside with Kev again starting on the bench. We continued where we left off from the previous match stroking the ball around forcing their goalie into several excellent saves. Eventually, the culmination of one of these moves saw Billy hit a fierce strike from 15 yards out which dipped just before their keeper and squirmed under his diving body for a 1 – 0 lead. At half-time Kev came on for Billy. We were looking just as good playing the ball around at the start of the second half until we lost our bearings and entered our box to concede a penalty. This was expertly taken to leave Eddy no chance. After such a shock we could have caved in mentally but we resumed from the kick off in the same pass and move manner and with 2 minutes left it paid off when a great piece of interplay put Kev in space just outside the box. He lashed a rising shot and despite a valiant effort from the Striders custodian it nestled into the opposite top corner of the net (pictured above). An immediate tactical substitution was made to sacrifice Joe, our impressive centre forward, and bring on Billy to play 3 at the back and 2 in midfield, to hold onto a lead that we had worked so hard to get back. Fortunately, this worked out well as we saw out the last couple of minutes to win 2 – 1.
Overall, an unusual day in which we scored 4 left footed goals from open play in only 3 games whilst conceding 2 extremely soft penalties. The quality of our football deserved the six points gained and they took us to equal top of the table with Tameside on 10 points. It is extremely tight though with Invincibles on 8 and Rochdale on 6 so all 4 teams have everything to play for next month.
Bury Relics 