A jubilant Eagley secured 3 points on a wet Saturday afternoon after beating the league leaders Fullwood Amateurs convincingly 6 – 2.
Ground staff Karl and Reg worked tirelessly to get the game on and when the referee inspected the Dunscar pitch he said it was one of the best he’d seen at this time of year, and probably one of the only games able to be played in the area.
From the off the Eagles probably gave their best performance of the season, winning every ball and closing down any Fullwood threat. After a couple of missed chances the ball fell to Eagley forward Joe O Keefe who went on a mazy run in the box before being fouled. Up stepped leading scorer Heath Ainscow who made no mistake for 1 nil. Eagley continued to press, and just before half time Joe O’Keefe found himself with just the keeper to beat, and slotted it calmly in the corner for 2 nil.
After the break Fullwood came out fighting and within minutes were awarded a free kick. This was well executed and beat the Eagles keeper Tom Macdonald to make it 2-1 and they were back in the game. But Eagley were not ready to give up their lead and soon won a free kick on the edge of the area. Player Manager Simon Whaley led by example and curled a cracker into the top right corner, giving the Fullwood shot stopper no chance, 3-1. This spurred on the Eagles to keep pressing and soon Ainscow was at it again as a shot was nearly saved and rolled over the line for 4-1, and then again he blasted another one home for his hatrick and 5-1. Then it was O’ Keefe’s turn again as he went past two defenders and slotted it in from a tight angle 6-1. Fullwood kept pressing and in the final minutes managed to get one back to make it 6-2, but only a consolation from a terrific Eagley performance. Jubilant manager Whaley after the game admitted the best Eagley performance so far;
‘All of the lads were superb today, and they scored some great goals. We go to Charnock and score 5 goals and now put 6 past Fullwood, they just need to believe how good they are and be consistent with it and we will begin to pick up the points.’
This result moved the Eagles up to 11th in the West Lancs Premier League, but with most other games postponed.
Meanwhile, the reserves we not so lucky. They went to Ladybridge on the astroturf surface, and after a combination of mistakes, within 20 minutes found themselves 4 goals down! But with manager Neil Pickup’s never say die attitude, Xavier Close scored a great goal for 4-1. Then after great work by Taylor Jones, another goal for Close and 4-2. They were back in the game, but sadly this was short lived as they scored again, and went into the break at 5-2 down.
After a substitution, and then an ilness the Eagles were down to 10 men for the majority of the second half. But this unfazed them and Close was there again to score his well deserved hat rick and 5-3. Shortly after captain Craig Coote then stepped up taking a perfectly executed free kick, and 5-4 game on!! But then from a Ladybridge free kick, they took it quickly, (too quickly was the suggestion) and sadly lobbed the Eagles keeper Billy Worthington for 6-4 the final score.
We caught up with manager Neil Pickup after the game who was disappointed but proud of his team’s fight back:
‘We were clearly the better side for 70 minutes but our poor start was our downfall and ultimately cost us the game. I’m proud of the lad’s performance, especially how they worked when we were down to 10 men.’