After three weeks off, it was good to be back - but there's still plenty of work to be done before now and the end of the season. There's three Cup Finals in fact and if we could claim all nine points left available to us, then there wasn't much else we could do in our quest to finish in those top two promotion places. We know we need other results to go our way - but all we can do is the job in front of us - and that started this afternoon...

Rossendale FC were making the trip down the M66 for this one and knowing that they'd had a recent resurgence in form meant that we had to be on our toes right from the start here. Despite a 0-7 drubbing at league-leaders Bury GSOB last weekend, they'd taken points from Rochdale St Clements Development and run Lymm close in a 2-3 defeat so they'd definitely be coming here hoping to take at least something away with them. But we had other ideas and as the lads began arriving early-doors, there was a good mood in the camp. Why wouldn't there be? We're unbeaten in 2025 so far and as we move to the business-end of the campaign, we aim to keep it like that...

And as the lads came out for their warm-up's, there was plenty to be optimistic about. There was the first outing in a United shirt for new-signing Mohamed Alatrash and to have Robbo back amongst the squad after six weeks out would be of benefit to any squad in the league. There was 16 available to the gaffers today and when the starting 11 were announced, it saw us sticking with the 4-4-2 shape that's served us well of late - so Mitch once again pulled on the gloves. The back-four in front of him today saw Gatesie partnering Keegie in the heart of the defence with Nathan on the right and Ste Palin on the left. Alex Williams was sitting in the middle of the park - joined by the returning Liam - and we elected to go with Ben on the right and give a full-debut to Mohamed on the left. All that was left to decide was the top-two - and we were going with Charlie and Lewis for this one. That meant we had the likes of Chris, Logan, Jay, Yatesy and Robbo on the bench to call upon when we needed to switch things off and we were ready. 90 minutes of the guaranteed 360 left this season. We had to leave it all out there and make sure that we give it 110%. Win our individual battles and we had the quality to win this. So go and do it! The lads pumped each other up and as they made their way out there, they looked determined....

It was a glorious day and with the sun beating above the Net End, our skipper won the toss and so began the mind-games - as he turned the teams around for kick-off and had the sun in the eyes of the visiting keeper from the start. Any advantage eh? And within 4 minutes, we should have had the lead. Winning a free-kick just inside their half, Gatesie went across to take it and as he whipped in a great ball. Lewis managed to tweak his neck enough to get his head to the ball - but although it went over their keeper, it also cleared the bar. At least we were showing intent already....

All of the attacking play was coming from the hosts in these early stages and on 11 minutes, we clipped a ball in that evaded their defence and as their keeper came out to claim it, Lewis had every right to go for it - but their No.1 went down clutching his elbow when it didn't look like our striker had touched him. The referee blew for him to get treatment and with the break in play went the momentum of the move...

Every time we got the ball out to our wings we were causing them trouble - with Mohamed's silky skills on the left and Ben's mazy dribbles giving their left-back nightmares and on 19 minutes, the latter took hold of a good ball from Nathan down the flank and as he drove inside, three Rossendale players tried - and failed - to nick the ball off his toes. As he went to strike it, their centre-half managed to get across to clear it for throw - and when that came to nothing again, it was re-set and go again...

We saw our best chance so far come and go on 23 minutes - when Lewis played a superb ball out to Ben who dropped his shoulder and left their full-back for dust - and as he cut inside, he curled a beautiful shot towards the inside of their left-hand post - but it just didn't turn enough and went out for goal-kick. So close - and surely it was coming...

All the chances were coming our way and on 26 minutes, more good work through the middle saw the ball played in front of our Lewis and as he drove forward, we all thought we'd see the net bulge - only to see our Lew slam it about two yards wide of the upright. This surely wasn't going to be another one of 'those' games...

The visitors were not getting a sniff around our goal and Keegie and Co. marshalled their forward line well and with their No.11 getting more and more frustrated as the minutes went by, our No.4 was loving the banter. Not bad when backed up with solid defending and on 27 minutes, a great ball from Keegie dropped into the space in front of Charlie - but he too drilled it just wide and that was another chance gone...

Mohamed was getting into the pace of the game now and shortly after, he produced a great piece of skill to show their right-back the ball - before dragging it around him and drilling a great ball across the face of goal that found Ben on the opposite side of the box - but yet again, he slammed his shot the wrong side of the post and with the bosses' head in his hands, how was this still 0-0? It wasn't two minutes later though! A great team-move saw Keegie and Gatesie play it between each other and with Liam and Alex offering choices in the middle of the park, we worked it forward quickly - and as it found it's way to Charlie, he struck a great effort at goal - but it was diverted out to our left where it landed at the feet of Mohamed and he did what he has being doing in training since he joined - as he cut inside and fired his shot off so quickly that their keeper didn't even have time to react. The ball raced past him and as it nestled in the back of their net, Mohamed had scored on his debut - and his team-mates were swarming all him over! The United fans were loudly celebrating and it's a moment that Mohamed will remember for a long time. More importantly for us though - our pressure had finally paid dividends and now we had to press on. 35 minutes gone and 1-0 to Breightmet...

We did seem to settle down a little after going in front - and the chances kept coming - with the Schofield brother linking up well on 38 minutes before Ben struck his shot into the leg of the defender and out for a corner. Alex went across to curl it under the crossbar and as he whipped it in, Keegie was inches away from connecting with his forehead to double our lead. Another one that had got away though...

We then saw the visitors get their first real sight of our goal when on 40 minutes, they managed to win a corner and as it came flying into the box, Mitch did what we all want him to do - and came and cleared man, ball and everything in front of him. Unluckily for Gatesie, his own keeper went straight through him as well and he came and punched the ball clear - and with our No.5 feeling as though he'd been hit by a train, on went the game. They then won a free-kick for a silly foul given around the edge of our own box - not the first this afternoon mind - and although we had been so far on top of this game, we were so close to going into the break level - if it hadn't been for the free-kick taker slamming the ball about 10 yards over Mitch's net. Too close for comfort when there was only one goal in it...

Nathan was then guilty of giving away another cheap free-kick on the right-hand side of our box a minute before the break and it took some dogged defending to ensure that we got the ball away and were not made to pay - and as the whistle went for the interval, it was Wayne and Brian that were probably the most frustrated...

Half-time: BREIGHTMET UNITED 1-0 Rossendale FC

As the lads came in for their drinks, the boss was quick to remind them that they'd done enough to be coming in 10-0 up already - but we hadn't really got out of first-gear yet. We looked as though we were rushing things and we needed to relax a little more when in possession of the football. The spaces on the wings were were we would exploit them - so use your footballing knowledge to pick out the right pass at the right time - and if we could get the next goal, then we could go on to get several more. Allow them to score it though and this would be a very different 45 minutes. No changes were made and as they made their way back out onto the field, the home fans were quick to show their appreciation...

The second half started as a pretty slow affair and the players of both sides sat in and waited for the other to make the first move - and whenever the ball was in and around the midfield, it was Alex and Liam winning the duels. That gave us the confidence to play it around the park and with Ste and Nathan trying to overlap, we were still getting behind them - but we were not carving out the chances as regularly as we had done in the first period. The Rossendale coach had obviously made a switch to his tactics and they looked more solid as banks of four now - so we would have to be patient and wait to break them down now...

At this point we must thank the Groundhoppers/Programme collectors that had made their way up from Birmingham to watch this one today and we're so pleased to see how far and wide news is getting about our 'issuing' Match-Day programmes as far down as Step 11 of the footballing pyramid. There's even been mention of it on a Polish social media group and long may it continue! The Brummie boys made themselves known and we really do hope you enjoyed your visit to Moss Park today. How did you find the last half an hour? Well - here goes...

On the hour-mark, Wayne decided to switch things up - so on came Chris in place of Nathan in a move that saw Gatesie go over to right-back, Logan came on in place of the debutant Mohamed (who rightly received a warm round of applause from the home supporters gathered beside the dug-out and Yatesy came on for Charlie - and within two minutes of the changes, we had doubled our lead! More good work through the middle saw us carve out an opening on the right and as we tried to whip it into an area in front of Yatesy, the Rossendale defender could only put it out for a throw about 30 yards from goal. Across went our Ben - and as he lofted it in like a rocket, Yatesy rose high to try and get his head to it - but it went about three inches over him and stood right behind him was our Keegie - who nodded home a bullet-header from about 10 yards out that was past their keeper before he even realised it. 2-0 and as our centre-half celebrated scoring yet again, surely that was the goal that would enable us to relax more now and enjoy the rest of this game...

A good move down our left saw Ste exchange passes with Logan and as the latter received the ball just outside their box, he cut inside but could only strike his shot right down the throat of their No.1 and the chance was gone. Shortly after that, we thought we'd seen a major injury as over on the far-side, Yatesy went in for a challenge very close to the barrier and from where we were stood, it looked as though he had really cracked his forehead - so imagine Wayne's delight when he sprinted (?) across the pitch to tend to him - and found out that he'd thankfully protected his head with his hand! A few plasters and a drink later and our John was up and ready to go again...

A great ball over the top saw Yatesy race through on goal on 70 minutes and as he strode forward, he could only put his effort wide of the target - so he wasn't too bothered when it was called back for offside either. And on 73 minutes. we thought we'd made it 3-0. Chris won a great tackle just inside his own half and as he looked up, he clipped a lovely ball into the space in front of Logan - who drove down the wing like the bosses had tasked him to - and as he crossed it in, Yatesy managed to direct it goalwards - only to see their keeper make a stunning save to tip it wide for a corner. Liam went over to take this one and as he arched it towards the back-post, Chris rose like a salmon to get his head to it first - but he could only put it about a foot past their right-hand post. More good work from the team in white and black though...

We then saw the one and only caution of the game as Ste set off on a marauding run only to be taken out for the umpteenth time by a Rossendale player - and this time the referee had seen enough of it and produced a yellow. And with 15 minutes or so left on the clock, up went the signal to ask for a substitution - and Robbo re-entered the field following his long lay-off. Liam was rightly applauded off the pitch by the home faithful and within moment, Tom was heavily involved as he received a good ball in the centre of the park and as he pulled it back onto his favoured left-foot, he curled a glorious shot only inches wide of their left-hand upright. So close to an almost perfect return...

Lewis and Yatesy then combined well to get the ball into the Rossendale box but this time they defended it well when we saw it flash across the face of goal - and as the minutes ticked away, Wayne could now be heard demanding that clean-sheet. A great move out of our defence saw Robbo take hold of it and as he looked up, he played Logan in down our left. Their defender came across and this time managed to get it out for a corner and as Logan went over to take it, he knew what was required. In it came and as it floated through the air, there was Yatesy to climb highest and as he connected his forehead to the ball, the noise was beautiful - quickly followed by the not-so-nice noise of the leather bar slamming hard against the metal crossbar and go over for a goal-kick. That was close and if we're honest, 3-0 would be no less than we deserved...

We then had our best chance to get the treble when on 83 minutes, once again Ste was taken out as he made a darting run down their left. Gatesie went across to take it again and as he had done all afternoon, he swung an inch-perfect cross towards the back-post where there was that man Keegie again - but this time the ball must have tickled his forehead as he just couldn't strain that last sinew of his neck to reach it. A great cross and could have been a great goal that...

And that was that really. Not much else happened before the end of the proceedings as both teams seemed to have run their race - and when the whistle went, the handshakes were done with respect. We wish today's visitors all the very best for the rest of the season and we have no doubt we will see them again soon in some shape or form. As for us, that's part one of a four-part triology that could end in glory for us - so the boss was obviously happy as he made his way into the changing-room. Sure - the finishing was left to be desired again and if we thought about the chances we hadn't scored this season and how we could have over 100 goals easily this season, it makes it hard to swallow sometimes - but at this stage of the campaign, it's about points on the board - and we got all three here today....

Keegie was awarded the Man of the Match for his great defensive work, his range of passing and once again his prowess in front of goal - and now we move on to Part 2. Next weekend is a huge game in our season as we welcome 2nd placed Rochdale St Clements Development to Moss Park in a must-win game for both games if they want to finish in those top two places. It promises to be a cracker that one - so make sure you get down to cheer the lads on and who knows - we could still get promotion from a season where we haven't been at our best? That would be ace wouldn't it?

Many thanks to the fans from both teams for coming down today - and once again, to those Groundhoppers who are always more than welcome - and we hope to see you all again in seven days time for another game where we need your full voice behind us...

Two league games to go. Six points available. And we want them all...

#OnceUnitedNeverDivided