15th Jun 2023
Bury Relics Over 65’s finished their Greater Manchester Division 1 Walking Football league campaign on a roasting warm day in Heywood. The squad was Gaz (GK), Tony (Centre Back), Tex (Right Half), Alan (Left Half), Pete Shev (Centre Midfield) and Graham (Centre Forward) with Keith both Manager / unused sub and 2 Cats, Pat & Eddy, also in attendance. A great final day resulted in 2 wins and 2 draws which was a fantastic return considering that both playmakers, Woggy and JoMo, were unavailable.

First up were league leaders Kingsmaid, who sat top of the league on 24 points with Relics on 20 points in second. A win for us would have been ideal to start to claw back the deficit and Kingsmaid knew that it was a must not lose game for them. Kingsmaid played it cagey from the start, keeping possession, using the keeper and leaving nothing to chance with a strict no foul policy. Their out ball was up to the lone striker for him to try and turn and shoot but Tony marshalled him superbly and no chances resulted from it.
Due to the intense heat the 15 minute matches were split by a water break which was taken after 8 minutes of play which had only seen 1 shot from either team – a good attempt by Graham. On resumption of play not only were we rehydrated but also revitalised and started extremely well. Graham cut out a loose pass and hit a low, bobbling shot which spun up off the keeper’s outstretched leg, came down, bounced and the back spin was taking it in just under the bar… but the goalie did magnificently to get up off the floor, reach back and up and tip it over. Definitely the best save I have seen this season.
Next up was Kingsmaid’s only decent chance of the match where a left wing move saw their player with a clear shot but he blasted it high, wide and handsome. After that we threw the kitchen sink at them for the last 5 minutes as we pressed for the winner as they defended for their lives. We created 3 chances for Graham with good moves, he got off strong shots each time but they just didn’t quite have enough on them to score. 0-0 but we played excellently, especially, defensively.

Straight into the second game still 4 points behind, against Corinthians who were in relegation danger. We started extremely strongly with real intent to win. We were hitting Graham’s feet and he came close 3 times but Corinthian’s Wai had 2 shots on the turn both into the side netting which kept us honest.
Then from nowhere Graham picked up a misplaced pass and placed it superbly into the net. The ref promptly called the water break before the restart. Again we sprinted out the traps and almost immediately Pete whizzed a pearler past the right hand post with their keeper rooted to the spot. Graham had 2 shots, the second of which drew a great diving save to his right. However, Corinthians were not lying down and Stewart hit a tremendous shot which Gaz turned round his left hand post for a corner – the only time his gloves were stung all day. This was literally a warning shot to our 1-0 lead and we saw out the last 2 minutes with some neat possession football. Another great performance gaining us 3 vital points as Kingsmaid lost to Bolton Arena and we were now only 1 point behind. The chase was on!

We now went into our 20 minute break before our usual Match 3 v Preston.
We did everything right in the break, took on water, rested, great analysis of our previous matches against Preston, the players had played well in our first 2 games and were confident of the win that was required. We were ready for a …………. DAMP SQUIB! 

We started so slowly and didn’t have a shot before the water break. During the break Graham tried to rally the troops and we did improve slightly with 2 shots before the end but the best chance by far fell to the Preston centre forward who was left completely on his own as we pushed forward in search of a winner. Fortunately for us he blasted it off the bar and it rebounded back to the half way line. 0-0 at the end and with Kingsmaid beating Corinthians the lead was stretched back out to 3 points.
Much post game discussion took place about why we had played so well in the first 2 games and so poorly in this match. For me the credit goes to Preston and the way that they play which frustrates and contains us. Their season stats tell a story of played 16 with 11 0-0 draws (including 3 out of 4 matches with us). They scored 2 goals; a 1-0 victory and 1-1 draw against Corinthians which was enough to keep them up and send Corinthians down. 
Kingsmaid then played their last match before us, drawing 0-0 with Preston (Surprise, Surprise!) which put them 4 points ahead thereby clinching the league title.

Onto our final match of the season against Bolton Arena who had secured third place in the league with 2 wins and a draw in their first 3 games, a dead rubber said some, but pride was at stake between the 2 top performers of the day. As we were running late the ref cut the time to 10 minutes with no water break so Keith called for a high intensity showstopper to bring the curtain down on the season.
Wow, the players did not disappoint as they threw the shackles off and in a magnificent display of attacking football totally dominated a very good Bolton team. Pete had already shaved the post after a great pass from Graham before a brilliant 5 man move starting with Alan outside our D on the right moving it forward to Tony in the middle who stroked it to the overlapping Tex on the left, he cut it inside to Pete who set up Graham for a superb opener. We then rained shots in from everyone after free flowing football, with Gaz a bystander, even Tony trying to chip their keeper at one point! Eventually, Graham finished it off with his second cracker. 2-0 and another 3 points which saw us finish runners-up; 1 point behind.

A truly great performance by 6 players, who worked their socks off, with no subs in temperatures that made my pen sweat. We were magic in 3 games and tragic in 1 but that is why we all love the inexact science of football. I have huge admiration for the way that the players approached the final match, they could have thrown in the towel and not played in the searing heat, but they did the Relics proud and produced a fabulous finale of wonderful walking football.

Thanks to the League for a scrumptious buffet and Presentation afterwards.

thanks to Ian Mck for the superb match reports.

For all the 2023 fixture and results see the Match Centre page here …

1st June 2023
The last game day (4 matches) of the Greater Manchester Walking Football League (GMWFL) Spring 2023 season for the Relics over 60’s Whites had the usual drama and controversy.
The Relics started the final day in second spot in the table, one point behind leaders Club Kingsmaid, and on level points, but better goal difference, than third place Wakefield Wanderers.
So, a three way fight for the title was about to unfold …

The first game was the usual high quality game against Kingsmaid, with General Gaz in the Relics goal being called into early action with three good saves. Kingsmaid alo had a shot that hit the post. At the other end Gordon was closed down on the edge of the Kingsmaid are and couldn’t get his shot away. Another Kingsmaid attack, an another shot off the Relics post. A tight move for Kingsmaid on the edge of the Relics area resulted in a Relics player straying into the area for a penalty to Kingsmaid.
The penalty was well struck low into Gaz’s bottom right hand corner and in off the post.
1 – 0 to Kingsmaid. Kingsmaid were soon on top again with a shot well saved by Gaz, and another shot that wa high. Relics finally had a shot in the last seconds that went wide.
Final Score Kingsmaid 1 – 0 Relics

Corinthians up next in what was a niggly game with lots of disputed decisions. Relics were on top for most of this game but couldn’t make the dominance pay with goals.
Ian had a hat trick of attempts, he waltzed down the pitch but his shot was wide, another shot hit the bar and went over, and a great shot was saved.
Dog had his attempts too with a number of shots saved by the Corinthians keeper. Relics dominated but only came away with a point.
Final Score Corinthians 0 – 0 Relics

Relics need a win against bottom club Rochdale in order to stay in contention for second spot. Relics started brightly and a Graham back heel went to Ian who shot wide to the right. Dog had a great chance but the keeper saved with his feet as he diced the wrong way. Ian linked up well with Graham his shot just going outside the right hand post. Ian was also involved in the next chance when he went forward with the ball from the Relics half and passed to Dog on the right hand side of the Rochdale box and with a very calm and composed finish slotted the ball over the floundering Rochdale keeper. Relics 1 – 0.
Ian and Dog combined again a few minutes later. Ian’s pass to Dog, who this time was on the left and side of the area, his chip this time was saved by the keeper, but the ball went back to Dog who chipped the keeper again into the far side of the goal. Two super calm and composed finishes from Dog in a matter of minutes. Relics 2 – 0
Final score Relics 2 – 0 Rochdale

Down to the last game, Relics v Wakefield. Both teams have four points on te day so Relics holding on to second spot on goal difference.
Relics seem to have run out of steam, Wakefield were on top most of the game and went ahead with a shot from the edge of the box high into the net. 1 – 0 to Wakefield.
Relics replied with shots from Kev, and an agonising close effort from Dog that hit the inside of the right hand post and sped across the front of goal, and just as the Relics fans on the side line expected the ball to settle in the left hand corner of the net, the ball went agonisingly across the front of goal and out of play. So close.
Lady Luck deserted the Relics again a few minutes later when a shot hit Gaz’s right hand post, but as he dived, the ball hit his back and rolled into the Relics net. 2 – 0 to Wakefield.
Final score Relics 0 – Wakefield 2

A frustrating day for the Relics, losing second spot in the table in the final game.
Well played everybody in the team, they never gave up.
Gaz (gk), Ian McCann, Kev Amos, Gordon (Dog) Arkwright, Graham, Tony G, Keith S, and Manager Ken Buggie.
Thanks to Kodak Keith Hayes for the photo’s

For all the 2023 fixture and results see the Match Centre page here …

18th May 2023:
Another tough day of fixture for the Relics 65’s resulted in 1 win, 2 draws, and 1 defeat to Kingsmaid which meant that Kingsmaid leapfrog the Relics into top spot in the table, pushing the Relics down into second spot with 1 game day (4 games) to go in the Spring 2023 season.

As usual the Relics kick off the day with a tough gme against Kingsmaid.
Ed is called into action early in the game by somehow tipping a hard swirling shot onto the cross bar and out for a corner.
Relics matched Kingsmaid and had a goal disallowed from JoMo when the ref judged that JoMo was running. Shortly after Kingsmaid went ahead through a penalty, Tony G was judged to have strayed into the area as he went to tackle the dangerous Kingsmaid #77. The penalty was slotted home low done in-off Ed’s left hand post. 0-1 to Kingsmaid.
The Relics were fighting back with a shot from JoMo deflected for a corner. Jerry had a shot well saved by the keeper and a shot from distance that was high.
Inevitably Kingsmaid #77 got in on the action with a fast turn and powerful shot from the edge of the box giving Ed no chance putting Kingsmaid 0-2 up.
Relics continued to press with a shot from Tong G going over. The Relics pressure finally paid off when a Kingsmaid defender went into the box, penalty to the Relics, JoMo stepped up and confidently smashed the ball into the roof of the net. Relics 1 -2.
Final score Relics 1 v 2 Kingsmaid

Next challenge for the Relics was Corinthians, although not at their best this season, they are always difficult games.
The Relics were on top from the start with 3 shots from Graham W in quick succession, the first going wide, the other two resulting corners, but no goals. Jerry shot high, before Corinthians had a couple of efforts themselves. The relics continued to have the majority of the possession and field position but couldn’t make the advantage count on the score sheet. A frustrating game for the Relics.
Final score Relics 0 v Corinthians 0

Next came Preston North End and another frustrating game from a Relics point of view. Within seconds the Relics had a chance when the Preston keepers roll out was intercepted by Graham, his normally lethal left foot let him down as he miss-hit the shot wide. Tex also shot wide following a good move Al > JoMo > GW > Tex. Graham had a shot saved, then Pete Shev shot wide and Graham had another shot saved. Preston replied with a shot that hit the bar and went over and out.
Preston had a good spell with a well worked free kick saved by Ed and another shot that sped across the front of the Relics goal and just past the far post. Then another shot that was just wide.
The Relics finiahed strong with shots from JoMo just too high, and Graham W which was well saved by the Preston keeper.
Final score Relics 0 v Preston 0

Final game of the day was Bolton Arena.
Ed was the first keeper called into action when a Bolton free kick found a player unmarked on the Relics left hand side, his free shot was well saved by Ed.
The rest of the game was dominated by the Relics. JoMo had a shot parried for a corner. The corner goes to Tony G who shoots wide.
Graham W carries the ball around the Bolton area to the left hand side and hits a left footed shot into the bottom right hand side of the goal to put the Relics 1 – 0 up.
The game was still all Relics with a through ball from GW finding JoMo on the right hand side, his low and powerful shot went in off the near post. 2 – 0 Relics.
There was a bit of tension in the game between Jerry and Bolton #7 but Jerry silenced his opponent with two ‘nutmegs’ in quick succession, the latter one was followed by a super strike which the keeper had no chance. 3 – 0 Relics
Tony G had the last chance of the game for the Relics when he picked up the ball outside the Relics area, and with the Bolton defence parting like the Red Sea Tony waltzed down the centre of the pitch as the Bolton keeper dived to his left he somehow managed to save Tony’s shot with his feet. What a goal that would have been.
Final score Relics 3 – Bolton 0

So, Relics end with a win and 5 point on the day which leaves them in second place in tthe table, 4 points behind Kingsmaid with 4 games left to play.
Well done to all players on the day.
Ed (gk); Pete Shev; Jerry L; JoMo; Graham W; Alan B; Tony G; Tex and manage Ken Buggie,
Thanks to Kodak Keith for the photos.

For all the 2023 fixture and results see the Match Centre page here …