5th June 2025
O 60’s Whites at Heywood
Squad:
Eddie (GK)
Graham (C)
Ian McKinnon
Ian McCann
Keith Swain
Kevin Amos
Kevin Bates
Manager:
Ken Buggie
Overcast day not too warm or cold.
Pre-match thoughts:
“ where is everyone “? Eddie
“ what time is it”? Ken
“ has somebody lost a radish“? Kev B
A thoroughly professional day begins with Keith lending a player from another team some shorts and socks, who keeps saying “ can I keep these “?
“ No” said Keiran
“ can I keep these”?
“No” said Keiran
“ can I keep these”?
“”No” said Keiran
Repeat about another four times… eventually he wanders off then decides to return the shorts having acquired some other shorts from… somewhere. He kept the socks.. for now.
It’s all go at Heywood.
First game against Corinthians
Substitute: Keith Swain
Bury started strongly, good pressing, incisive passing resulting in a number of attempts on goal.
Ian McKinnon found good space on the edge of the area, went for placement rather than power but the keeper was up to the task.
Ian McCann also had a shot on target from a good position but again their keeper was on it.
Despite playing the better football Bury got hit with a sucker punch late in the game, Kev B had managed to nullify the attacking threat from the right wing for most of the game but got caught flat footed by a neat one two between their winger and striker which saw the winger home in on goal and slip one past Eddie who managed to get a hand to it but the spin on the ball took it into the net behind him.
Bury had five shots on goal two of which on target, Corinthians in contrast had two shots on goal only one on target but a decisive one.
Frustrating game, but it only takes one good move to win a match in this league and that good move fell to Corinthians in this instance.
Final score
Bury 0 Corinthians 1
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Second game up against Bolton
Substitute Kev B
This was a good tight game which could easily have gone either way, Bolton have a very strong side but Bury took them to task pressing high which created a bit of panic for the Bolton players as I think they’re used to teams sitting back against them, pressure from Graham led to him intercepting an attempted clearance by a Bolton defender. Graham then being through on goal feigned a shot and put their keeper on the floor he then moved sideways and chipped the ball towards the net but Bolton’s keeper did something I’ve seen him do on multiple occasions and just raised his long arm ( editor’s note… he has two long arms…and legs) and deflected the ball to safety.
Shortly afterwards Ian Mc Cann had an opportunity on the edge of the area but again the keeper saved it. Then Keith Swain found himself in a similar situation on the other side of the area after a great pass from Graham but again their keeper saved it. You know what’s coming next 🤦♂️
Bolton had squandered a few chances themselves with two great saves from Eddie and some dogged defending especially from Kevin Amos but their striker is pretty ruthless and difficult to defend especially when backed up against your own area and eventually he succeeded in bagging two goals in relatively quick succession.
Bury didn’t give up though and kept pressing resulting in a free kick that unfortunately went over the bar from Ian McCann.
Time was against Bury and they were unable to capitalise on their attacking chances.
Bury had six attempts on goal four of which on target, Bolton had five attempts on goal three of which on target.
Final score
Bury 0 Bolton 2
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Third game up against Panthers
Substitute Kevin A
This was a quick physical game lots of running by Panthers leading to catch up running by Bury players just in case the ref didn’t blow his whistle .
The referee was on point however and Panthers quickly accumulated four offences, a combination of running and fouls.
The resulting penalty fell to Graham but, possibly distracted by the Panthers keeper fluttering his eyelashes provocatively , Graham hit the post ( editors note.. with the ball).
It was fast turning into one of those games.
Shortly afterwards Ian McKinnon found himself in a very similar situation to his shot attempt against Corinthians ( after which Graham advised him to go for power next time) and I swear that even though I was at the other side of the pitch I could hear Graham’s voice reverberating around Ian’s head “ go for power… go for power “ and despite his better judgment sure enough Ian went for power …….and it sailed wide.
Shortly afterwards as if to cement the icing on the cake ( editor’s note… intentional use of mixed metaphors) Graham went for power…. and it sailed wide.
Now statistically apparently power shots are more likely to beat a keeper… ……………but not today.
Panthers had a number of attempts from distance that didn’t really trouble Eddie.
Bury had five attempts on goal three of which on target Panthers had four attempts on goal three of which on target.
To be honest I can’t remember who had shots on target because playing and reporting at the same time is… challenging. So I’m going to say Keith and… Keith it shall be.
Final score
Bury 0 Panthers 0
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Final game up against Burnley Clarets
Substitute Ian McKinnon
( editor’s note… what do they feed them in Burnley…..they’re all built like tanks)?!
That’s my first use of an interrobang ( look it up) so apologies if it’s not strictly correct grammatically.
What can I say about this game… well… based on Ian’s notes in my little orange book…. not very much ( editor’s note… consider yourself told off Ian 😊)
So… first things first….Bury had four attempts on goal one on target, Burnley had five attempts on goal three on target so immediately I can see that Eddie was the star of this show with an especially memorable dive pushing the shot around the post.
Did I mention how big the Burnley players are?!
It was all a bit Olivia Newton John to the point where the referee warned both sides to calm down and be less physical , he rather charitably warned us that henceforth he’d be noting offences having allowed us all to get
away with murder for the first three minutes.
Burnley pressed hard and deep which prompted Graham to drop back further than usual, to provide an outlet for the potential break Kev B moved up front tying up one of their defenders, because he stayed quite high upfield this yielded a lot of space in the Burnley half which meant that Graham and Keith especially were able to thread the ball through to Kev B , Kev B had three attempts on goal one of which on target , half chances really with tight defending from Burnley. ( did I mention they’re quite big)?
One neat pass from Keith enabled Kev B to set up Graham who had moved forward at this point but unfortunately the shot went wide .
There were some good attacking moves from Bury ..Graham just narrowly failing to thread the ball through the eye of a needle right at the end of the match.
Ian McCann was busy throughout as usual but forced into a more defensive role due to Burnley pressure. Kevin Amos stalwart as always in defence.
Final score
Bury 0 Burnley Clarets 0
So two points from four matches, not brilliant, but not the whole story, Bury played well in all the games and it really could have gone the other way in the matches they lost.
But…. that’s football 🥅 ( editor’s note… this is what the nets look like… except they’re a lot smaller than this when you’re trying to score a goal).
Bury Relics 