In with the old out with the new as Youth team triumph

In need of match practice, the Youth Team saw out the old year, taking the opportunity of a game on the 3G pitch at Heywood Sports Village against Rochdale Town first team and came away with a very creditable 4-2 win.

Rochdale made the early running but it was FC that opened the scoring, in the 16th minute Sam Howell swept in a cross from the right towards the far post. Jonathan Poizer nudged it back to Matthew Boland whose normal assured touch in front of goal thankfully deserted him. A scuffed shot crept in at the near post past a bemused keeper when a surer shot was likely to have been saved by the advancing custodian. The lead lasted less than ten minutes as the home side swept up field, beating an off side trap and slotting home.

It was restored just before half time when a Richard Smith free kick bobbled along the ground before deflecting off a leg in the wall and into the net.

Changes were rung at half time and one of a number of new faces, Lewis Studholme quickly made an impression. The ball broke to him as Theo Kidd contested a loose ball with the keeper, then with a neat sidestep beyond a defender he fired home. Mid way through the half Lewis made it 4-1 with a neat lob over the keeper and into the top corner. Rochdale then sought to get back into the game as Darren Lyons dramatically increased the average age of the FC side. Andrew Farrimond made a number of good saves although wayward finishing helped make sure that a second home goal with ten minutes to go was no more than a consolation.