Bowland FC Cs win again in Division 3 with a convincing 4-1 victory over a struggling County side in a game that was marred with refereeing controversy
There was a change in goal with Reuben Confue returning to the side for the first time since the opening day defeat to Furness Bs, there was one change in defence with Yanni Yianna coming back into the side, with the centre back partnership from the Pendle Cs game of Connor Phipp and Jacob Austin continuing alongside Tom Cantrell at the back. There was also one change in midfield with Fergus Wilson moving back into midfield for debutant Joseph Crowe replacing Michael Cossey in the front 3 and Dabelu came in to start for Luca who was a no show on the day
The match began with a flurry of big chances for Bowland, with Loz and Joseph missing a couple apiece , but it was Bowland who broke the deadlock in the 25th minute. Lawrence Hopper found the net with a close-range effort, expertly assisted by Joseph Crowe, who delivered a precise pass through the heart of the County defence. Just a minute later, Hopper received a yellow card for a late challenge in the middle of the park, not one that could really be argued with
As the first half progressed, Bowland continued to apply pressure, with Hopper missing a built edge chance to double the lead, but County Cs were gifted a way back into the game by some astoundingly bad refereeing as in the 40th minute, they were awarded a penalty for an apparent push by James Pike (who was stood on the halfway line at the time) , which they converted to level the score at 1-1 just before the half-time whistle blew
Bowland retook the lead in the 58th minute following a crunching challenge on Tom Cantrell by the County number 93, Kayden Parish stuck the ball into the back post for Joseph Crowe whose flick put the ball back towards goal for Dabelu Emecheta to tap in for his 2nd goal of the season. County protested saying that Dabelu was in an offside position when he tapped home the ball that was arguably already going in, but the referee waved away the protests
Bowland extended their lead in the 67th minute when Max Tovell scored his first competitive goal for two years with a well-placed shot from inside the box, following a lovely whipped cross from Yanni Yianna.
County felt they were denied a penalty just moments later when Confue in the Bowland goal did brilliant to save at the feet of the County centre forward whilst 1 on 1, the referee had a perfect view and waved away the protests
As the match entered its final stages, County Cs pushed to get themselves back in the game, creating a couple of chances following the controversial decision to substitute Jacob Austin and moving midfielder Parish back into defence, an area of the pitch he struggled in for large parts of the game.
However, County struggled to contain Bowland's attacking threat on the counter and in the 80th minute, Emecheta scored his second goal of the match and 3rd of the season, converting a low cross from Lawrence Hopper to make it 4-1 and seal the game following that spell of County pressure
Max Tovell's performance stood out today with a goal, and a dominant display in the middle of the park, with both his technical work on the ball but also his physical work earning plaudits, he was given the accolade of Man of the Match, facing stiff competition from returning goalkeeper Confue, while the referee's performance left much to be desired, Bowland ran out comfortable winners in scoreline rather than performance
