At last both senior sides got back to winning ways and both in style winning 4-1.
The first team entertained Burnley at home in a real ‘six pointer’ as before the game Burnley were just a place above the Eagles in third from bottom, but ended up swapping places in the league after the game. It was Eagley who started off on top , and after missing a couple of chances a free kick on the edge of the box fell to player/manager Simon Whaley, who hit it hard and low and curled in round the wall into the bottom corner for 1 nil. But it was short lived after Eagley were judged to have handled it in the box, and Oli Wood made no mistake from the spot for 1-1. Eagley still pressed and the hard working Heath Ainscow finally got his reward just before the break with a really well taken goal from a tight angle for 2-1.
After a shaky first few minutes another excellent Eagles goal came from the Ashton loanee Joe O’keefe for 3-1, and more importantly the Eagles were fighting hard and showing some real resolve to win the ball. That’s how it remained until the final few minutes where O’keefe found himself with just the keeper to beat, which he calmly did for 4-1, to give the Eagles a much deserved and needed win. Assistant manager Scott Derbyshire was visibly delighted with result and said, ‘ We brought two new lads in this week, Lee (Brickles) and Sam (knowles), they were excellent, but as were all the lads today. They stayed focused and played some great football, we just need to build on it now and not slip back again.’
Meanwhile, the reserves who are still looking for a manager took on local neighbours Stoneclough. Eagley under 14’s coach Neil Pickup kindly took the reigns along with Mark Foster, and what a job they did. They were pressing well and when the ball fell to Conor Close, he made no mistake for the Eagley opener. That’s how it remained at the interval, but in the second half the Eagles kept pushing and after some great football more goals were on their way.. These came in style from Oli Clarke, Craig Davenport, and another from Conor Close. Stoneclough clawed one back from Adam Tomkin, but it wasn’t enough and again the score line finished 4-1 for the Eagles. Caretaker manager Neil Pickup did a great job to lift the Eagles, lets hope Neil can continue into next Saturday as they entertain CMB reserves in the Houston Trophy.