County’s run of B-team fixtures began with a comfortable victory, as a strong Hatters side saw of Bolton Wanderers B 3-0 at Edgeley Park.
Ryan Rydel fired home from close range to set us on our way in the first-half, before well-taken finishes from Callum Camps and a substitute Trialist sealed a routine win for a County side led by First-Team Coach Dave Conlon and Academy Coach Paul Turnbull.
The duo named a strong side from the off, with eight first-team players involved from the start. Bobby Jones played the 90 minutes in goal, with starts elsewhere for Joe Lewis, Ryan Johnson, Ryan Rydel, Callum Camps, Aaron Rowe and strike duo, Isaac Olaofe and Jack Stretton.
Supplementing those first-teamers were academy scholars Keane Barugh, Ashton Mee and young centre-half Ben Darby, who captained the side on the night.
It was the young Bolton side who began the game on the front foot however, winning a free-kick on the edge of the area inside the opening minute which Max Conway bent over the wall, but over the bar at the Cheadle End.
County soon began to find their rhythm, and were unlucky not to take the lead when Jack Stretton’s goalbound volley struck strike partner Olaofe on the way through, with the rebound from Stretton also blocked at point-blank range.
Rydel was a constant threat down the left-hand side for County and came close to grabbing the opener on 22 minutes, cutting in from the left flank but seeing a powerful shot well saved by Bolton ‘keeper Ellis Litherland.
Olaofe called Litherland into action once again soon after, stinging the hands of the ‘keeper from the edge of the penalty area before the breakthrough finally arrived – through a moment of real quality from Callum Camps.
The midfielder collected the ball on the corner of the penalty area before delivering a brilliant ball to the back post, providing the late-arriving Rydel with the simplest of finishes from close range to give County a half-time lead.
Half-Time: County B 1-0 Bolton Wanderers B (Rydel, 38′)
Just five minutes into the second half and provider then turned goalscorer, as Ashton Mee teed it up for Camps, who bent a sumptuous first-time effort into the top corner from 25 yards, to deservedly double the home side’s lead.
County had a golden opportunity to make it three just moments later as Aaron Rowe was tripped inside the penalty area, but Stretton’s penalty was well saved by Litherland down to his right-hand-side.
The Hatters kept plugging away in search of more goals with Stretton, a constant threat throughout, continuing to force Litherland into action. At the other end, a rare foray forward from Bolton saw Matt Grivosti’s effort tipped around the post by Bobby Jones.
Substitute Jack Atkinson, a Football Education student, came close to grabbing a third late on but fired wide of the upright, before another sub, the unnamed Trialist C, wrapped up the win – skipping past a couple of challenges before firing high into the roof of the net at the Cheadle End.
It could even have been more late on, as Dallas Omoruyi saw a close-range effort cleared off the line, but County can be left satisfied after a good night’s work in front of 650 at Edgeley Park.
Full-Time: County B 3-0 Bolton Wanderers B (Rydel, 38; Camps, 50; Trialist C, 85′)
Starting XI: Jones; Darby; Lewis; Johnson; Rowe (Omoruyi, 76′); Camps (Trialist A, 70′); Rydel (Trialist B, 60′); Mee (Atkinson, 70′); Barugh (Trialist C, 45′); Olaofe (Fligg, 76′); Stretton.
Unused Subs: Campbell.
Attendance: 650
Photographer: Mike Petch
