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LenSharkey · 11th November 2003, 09:11

Bolton 1 United 2

From Wayne @ Red News

United team - Carroll; Lynch, Bardsley, Tierney (capt), Pugh; Eagles, Kleberson, Wood, Richardson; Cooper, Bellion

Subs - Johnson (for Eagles HT), M. Williams (for Cooper 60mins), Jones (for Richardson 62mins).

Subs not used - B. Williams, Eckersley.

Bolton featured a few experienced 'names' in their eleven. Kevin Poole was in goal, Anthony Barness, Ibrahim Ba, Henrik Pedersen and Mario Jardel all also were starters.

I rolled up to the Lancashire County FA headquarters in good time and was impressed with the set up. Not terribly great for the paying public, admission £3 tonight, but the playing surface looked as good as any I've seen this season. I'm certain that the United boys would be delighted to see a nice flat, grassy pitch after their exertions on Newcastle's rugby pitch a couple of weeks ago in their previous competitive outing. Since then the boys also had a run out against Glenavon in Ireland in a friendly which they won fairly comfortably. They are on a bit of roll now so I am feeling optimistic, particularly with Bolton being mired right at the bottom of the table in the Premier Reserve League North.

Good crowd here to see the match, the only stand was full with lots of Lancs youth football teams on a night out to see what they are all aspiring to. Plenty of excitable young boys looking forward to seeing United, and according to some I heard talking prematch, Ronaldo and Nistelrooy will defo be playing tonight!! Other than the small stand down half the length of one side of the pitch no other real spectator facilities present. Spectators were stood 2 and 3 deep down the other side of the pitch and a very good number congregating behind the goals too.

Bolton kicked off but it was United who made the early inroads. David Bellion and Kieran Richardson linked really well down the left, Richardson slotted Bellion in on the outside and DB was too quick for the Bolton right back who clipped our Frenchman as he was primed to reach the by-line. The foul was awarded just outside of the area, 2 feet or so outside and 4 or 5 yards from the by-line. Chris Eagles looked to fire in but the Wanderers wall blocked well. The rebound fell towards Kleberson who attempted a volley but missed his kick completely under pressure form the advancing Bolton rearguard.

On 5 minutes Mario Jardel hit a venomous shot that stayed out but I am not really sure whether there was woodwork involved or if it was wide and into the advertising hoardings. It was a scare anyway and was followed by 2 more Bolton chances in quite quick succession. Firstly the BW 10, Walters had a clear header after a nice cross from the right but he got too much on it and missed wide of the right post. Then Anthony Barness hit a real rasper that appeared on target for the top corner but Roy Carroll intervened to push it away at the expense of a corner. Roy caught the ensuing corner and quickly launched a punt upfield that Bellion did well to knock into Kenny Cooper's path but the big American could not quite capitalise.

The two United front men were linking really well, with Cooper's size and presence complimenting Bellion blistering speed. This looks an ideal partnership and leaves us with an embarrassing wealth up front with Eddie Johnson sat on the bench and Daniel Nardiello still away at Swansea on loan. Unfortunately none of these four are, in my opinion, yet ready to give SAF a selection headache regarding the first team striking options. Kenny Cooper and Eddie Johnson both have a chance of developing into the 'real thing' but Bellion is probably more of a winger and Nardiello, scorer of many goals this season for the reserves, isn't going to make the grade at Old Trafford, I'm afraid. Would love to be proved wrong but somehow feel he'll leave us for a lower division opportunity somewhere as Danny Webber and others have in the past.

The opening goal came halfway through the first period. Kenny Cooper held the ball up well and laid it off to David Bellion who fashioned a shooting chance which was partially charged down. The ball squirmed through the block and went out for a corner kick. Neil Wood took the corner from the United right and Cooper rose but failed to make contact at the far post, Kleberson scrambled out to the left flank to retrieve the ball and hit a perfect left footed cross that Phil Bardsley headed home from 7 or 8 yards out.

The advantage was doubled on 25 minutes. Danny Pugh won a great tackle on halfway and brought the ball on. Fed to the edge of the box where a neat interchange between Neil Wood and Cooper left Wood in the area and working to make room to pull the trigger. He had just worked the ball onto his favoured left foot but was fouled before he could test Poole. The referee was well positioned and did not hesitate in pointing to the spot. Wood picked himself up and placed the ball, no Nardiello so Woodie it was and he made no mistake, into the bottom left corner with Poole going the other way. 2-0 and cruising.

United created a few more opportunities before the break but none were converted. Kleberson fashioned one for Cooper that illustrated the Brazilian's supreme vision. Kleberson may have been caught in possession a few times and he may have misplaced a couple of passes but this single moment in the first half and another similar one in the second half convinced me that he does indeed have a part to play for United. I can foresee a situation where United are playing against a dour defensive set up and are unable to break through. I always thought that Veron was brought in to 'unlock' the door in those circumstances but it never really came off did it? But this South American might be 'The One.' Superb flicked pass with the outside of his left foot, it completely wrong footed the defence and had me standing in awe. How had he seen it? How did he manage to execute it? He was too clever for Cooper who looked as surprised as I was and failed to make up the ground to pounce.

Phil Bardsley ought to have doubled his personal tally on the night in 40 minutes. Another cross from our left leaving him with a free header in a very similar position from where he'd scored earlier. This time he failed to connect and was as unhappy as he had been happy a quarter of an hour earlier - the agony and the ecstasy.

Bolton were awarded a penalty just before half-time. Jardel converted low into the right corner with Roy well beaten. Mark Lynch conceded the spot kick after a tussle just inside our area. The attacker seemed to go down quite easily but I was 100 yards away so won't even begin to emulate our 'friends' at the wrong end of the East Lancs road and accuse the official of getting a penalty call wrong. So 1-2 at half-time and United well worth the lead.

Eddie Johnson came on for Chris Eagles at the beginning of the second period. The change paired Johnson with Cooper at the spearhead of our attack with David Bellion now moving to a right wing position. Bellion gave the home left back a torrid time and eventually had the number 3 cautioned near the end of the contest after a series of increasingly desperate tackles. On one of the occasions when DB managed to get away from the leftback without being felled he pulled an inviting low cross to Johnson who hit a first time shot from near the penalty spot that Kevin Poole did very well to push past the post.

Kleberson unlocked the Wanderers defence again, this time the beneficiary of his vision was Johnson who was on the same wavelength as the Brazilian. EJ really ought to have buried this one. Clean through, one on one. Cue a world class stop by Poole. Keepers in those situations have to gamble and some times it comes off for them and this was one of those. Poole dived to his right just as Eddie attempted to power his shot the same way...

11th November 2003, 09:11	#176 (permalink)
LenSharkey Reserve Team Player Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: bobbin on Posts: 1,885	Bolton 1 United 2 From Wayne @ Red News United team - Carroll; Lynch, Bardsley, Tierney (capt), Pugh; Eagles, Kleberson, Wood, Richardson; Cooper, Bellion Subs - Johnson (for Eagles HT), M. Williams (for Cooper 60mins), Jones (for Richardson 62mins). Subs not used - B. Williams, Eckersley. Bolton featured a few experienced 'names' in their eleven. Kevin Poole was in goal, Anthony Barness, Ibrahim Ba, Henrik Pedersen and Mario Jardel all also were starters. I rolled up to the Lancashire County FA headquarters in good time and was impressed with the set up. Not terribly great for the paying public, admission £3 tonight, but the playing surface looked as good as any I've seen this season. I'm certain that the United boys would be delighted to see a nice flat, grassy pitch after their exertions on Newcastle's rugby pitch a couple of weeks ago in their previous competitive outing. Since then the boys also had a run out against Glenavon in Ireland in a friendly which they won fairly comfortably. They are on a bit of roll now so I am feeling optimistic, particularly with Bolton being mired right at the bottom of the table in the Premier Reserve League North. Good crowd here to see the match, the only stand was full with lots of Lancs youth football teams on a night out to see what they are all aspiring to. Plenty of excitable young boys looking forward to seeing United, and according to some I heard talking prematch, Ronaldo and Nistelrooy will defo be playing tonight!! Other than the small stand down half the length of one side of the pitch no other real spectator facilities present. Spectators were stood 2 and 3 deep down the other side of the pitch and a very good number congregating behind the goals too. Bolton kicked off but it was United who made the early inroads. David Bellion and Kieran Richardson linked really well down the left, Richardson slotted Bellion in on the outside and DB was too quick for the Bolton right back who clipped our Frenchman as he was primed to reach the by-line. The foul was awarded just outside of the area, 2 feet or so outside and 4 or 5 yards from the by-line. Chris Eagles looked to fire in but the Wanderers wall blocked well. The rebound fell towards Kleberson who attempted a volley but missed his kick completely under pressure form the advancing Bolton rearguard. On 5 minutes Mario Jardel hit a venomous shot that stayed out but I am not really sure whether there was woodwork involved or if it was wide and into the advertising hoardings. It was a scare anyway and was followed by 2 more Bolton chances in quite quick succession. Firstly the BW 10, Walters had a clear header after a nice cross from the right but he got too much on it and missed wide of the right post. Then Anthony Barness hit a real rasper that appeared on target for the top corner but Roy Carroll intervened to push it away at the expense of a corner. Roy caught the ensuing corner and quickly launched a punt upfield that Bellion did well to knock into Kenny Cooper's path but the big American could not quite capitalise. The two United front men were linking really well, with Cooper's size and presence complimenting Bellion blistering speed. This looks an ideal partnership and leaves us with an embarrassing wealth up front with Eddie Johnson sat on the bench and Daniel Nardiello still away at Swansea on loan. Unfortunately none of these four are, in my opinion, yet ready to give SAF a selection headache regarding the first team striking options. Kenny Cooper and Eddie Johnson both have a chance of developing into the 'real thing' but Bellion is probably more of a winger and Nardiello, scorer of many goals this season for the reserves, isn't going to make the grade at Old Trafford, I'm afraid. Would love to be proved wrong but somehow feel he'll leave us for a lower division opportunity somewhere as Danny Webber and others have in the past. The opening goal came halfway through the first period. Kenny Cooper held the ball up well and laid it off to David Bellion who fashioned a shooting chance which was partially charged down. The ball squirmed through the block and went out for a corner kick. Neil Wood took the corner from the United right and Cooper rose but failed to make contact at the far post, Kleberson scrambled out to the left flank to retrieve the ball and hit a perfect left footed cross that Phil Bardsley headed home from 7 or 8 yards out. The advantage was doubled on 25 minutes. Danny Pugh won a great tackle on halfway and brought the ball on. Fed to the edge of the box where a neat interchange between Neil Wood and Cooper left Wood in the area and working to make room to pull the trigger. He had just worked the ball onto his favoured left foot but was fouled before he could test Poole. The referee was well positioned and did not hesitate in pointing to the spot. Wood picked himself up and placed the ball, no Nardiello so Woodie it was and he made no mistake, into the bottom left corner with Poole going the other way. 2-0 and cruising. United created a few more opportunities before the break but none were converted. Kleberson fashioned one for Cooper that illustrated the Brazilian's supreme vision. Kleberson may have been caught in possession a few times and he may have misplaced a couple of passes but this single moment in the first half and another similar one in the second half convinced me that he does indeed have a part to play for United. I can foresee a situation where United are playing against a dour defensive set up and are unable to break through. I always thought that Veron was brought in to 'unlock' the door in those circumstances but it never really came off did it? But this South American might be 'The One.' Superb flicked pass with the outside of his left foot, it completely wrong footed the defence and had me standing in awe. How had he seen it? How did he manage to execute it? He was too clever for Cooper who looked as surprised as I was and failed to make up the ground to pounce. Phil Bardsley ought to have doubled his personal tally on the night in 40 minutes. Another cross from our left leaving him with a free header in a very similar position from where he'd scored earlier. This time he failed to connect and was as unhappy as he had been happy a quarter of an hour earlier - the agony and the ecstasy. Bolton were awarded a penalty just before half-time. Jardel converted low into the right corner with Roy well beaten. Mark Lynch conceded the spot kick after a tussle just inside our area. The attacker seemed to go down quite easily but I was 100 yards away so won't even begin to emulate our 'friends' at the wrong end of the East Lancs road and accuse the official of getting a penalty call wrong. So 1-2 at half-time and United well worth the lead. Eddie Johnson came on for Chris Eagles at the beginning of the second period. The change paired Johnson with Cooper at the spearhead of our attack with David Bellion now moving to a right wing position. Bellion gave the home left back a torrid time and eventually had the number 3 cautioned near the end of the contest after a series of increasingly desperate tackles. On one of the occasions when DB managed to get away from the leftback without being felled he pulled an inviting low cross to Johnson who hit a first time shot from near the penalty spot that Kevin Poole did very well to push past the post. Kleberson unlocked the Wanderers defence again, this time the beneficiary of his vision was Johnson who was on the same wavelength as the Brazilian. EJ really ought to have buried this one. Clean through, one on one. Cue a world class stop by Poole. Keepers in those situations have to gamble and some times it comes off for them and this was one of those. Poole dived to his right just as Eddie attempted to power his shot the same way...