Bridgnorth 0 - 3 Boldmere St. Michaels Football Club
The Mikes started their MFA League campaign on a blazing hot August afternoon in the Shropshire town of Bridgnorth.
The Mikes had a familier look about them apart from new signing Matt Hawker. The hosts won the toss and then decided to kick up the Crown Meadow slope. Bridgnorth gained a corner in the opening minute which was punched away by Adam Jenkins in the Mikes goal.
A couple of minutes later Boldmere’s first chance came when a Jason Holmes pass found Lee Osbourne who fired over the Bridgnorth bar. After keeping up the early pressure Boldmere finally broke the deadlock on 14 minutes when a Simeon Tulloch free kick was flicked on and headed in by Jason Holmes to open the scoring for Boldmere.
From the kick off, Lee Osbourne stole possession and went on a solo run for the Mikes but his shot went past the Bridgnorth post.
On 23 minutes Bridgnorth had a great chance to level when a long ball found Rhys Adams who when on his own shot over the Mikes bar. End-to-end the away side worked the ball to Jason Holmes who saw Darren Walters in the Bridgnorth goal coming out and sent his effort into the side netting.
On 38 minutes Simeon Tulloch went on a great solo run covering half of the pitch before shooting over the Bridgnorth bar. Bridgnorth then had the better of the chances before the break with a corner being cleared by Adam Jenkins and then a defence splitting ball found Jason Pike who raced clear but shot past the Boldmere post to leave the visitors in charge at the break.
The second half started with Bridgnorth continuing to press for an equalizer and a good chance to level on 51 minutes when ‘The Mikes’ Stuart McNaught tried to clear a shot only to nearly put it into his own net but luckily the ball went wide.
On 54 minutes a Jack Brown ball found Ricky Baker whose shot was saved by Darren Walters and 5 minutes later Lee Osbourne’s run culminated in Jason Holmes just firing over the Bridgnorth bar. Boldmere were now on the attack and a minute later Boldmere could have doubled their lead when Lee Osbourne was clear on goal but his shot was stopped by the man who was fast becoming Bridgnorth’s man of the match Keeper Darren Walters. Minutes later Ricky Baker’s cross found Jason Holmes who was one on one with Walters and again, Walters pulled off a great stop.
It was becoming one sided but ‘The Mikes’ needed the security of a second goal and on 69 minutes they got it when a Adam Wood long ball found Lee Osbourne who lobbed over Darrren Walters into the Bridgnorth goal to double ‘The Mikes’ lead. Two minutes later ‘The Mikes’ made it three when a Boldmere corner from Tom Stevenson hit the bar and was cleared off the goal line only for Stuart McNaught to fire home and make the game safe for the visitors.
In the last 15 minutes the mikes bought on Jamel Fuller, Nathan Gough and Anthony Juxon to close the game out for Boldmere whose no 14 Jamel Fuller was cautioned for a tackle from behind.
In the last move of the match a Jason Holmes cross found Simeon Tulloch whose shot was saved by the legs of Darren Walters but it was the Mikes of Boldmere who took three points and could enjoy a perfect league start on a perfect day.
Boldmere Jenkins, Swain, Brown, Stevenson, Wood, Hawker, Tulloch, McNaught, Holmes, Osbourne, Baker Subs Used Fuller, Gough, Juxon not used Fisher, R Clarke
Bridgnorth Town Walters, Neville, Burd, Williams, Hurdley, Bod, Liperis, Pike, Horler, Adams, Stokes subs used Jackson, Brown, Jones Not Used Marlowe, Thompson
