On Saturday 5/9/09 we played at Hyde. We won 6-1 and it felt nice to get it over with and get a win. After the season they had last year the lads looked visibly tense and nervous in case: they were desperate for a win.An early goal was important and we got on the score sheet first when a good ball from Ryan found Darius who shot from outside the area to record the first goal of the season. Danny, Mikey, Darius and Ryan were playing some good football, good passing and strong running. Sam, Warren, Connor and Sean were equally impressive at the back. They cleared everything and looked strong and in control. Ben commanded his area in goal and kicked some super kicks from dead balls. One of these set up the second goal. He kicked a great ball wide to Danny who took it on then passed to Mikey who scored.We then had many more chances. A lovely ball from Sean was shot just wide. Also shooting wide were James, Danny and Darius. Then again a good ball from Sean to Danny to Mikey was a good chance but was put wide. But lovely football. Sean playing at right back was a revelation. He had more freedom and put some lovely balls through and over. He fed the front men all game, ably assisted by Ben who kicked wonderfully into the striker area. Impressive.Hyde however put a lot of men behind the ball in the goal mouth so it was difficult for us to squeeze it through and there were many goal mouth scrambles where the ball just wouldn’t go in. Then Mikey made it 3-1 by firing a shot which hit the defender and went in.Darius should have made it four. He firstly hit a cracking ball and shot wide, then hit it wide again when he was standing on the post and missed a tap in. Reece was also unlucky. Mikey put a great ball over and Reece hit a good header but just shot over. That would have been a great goal.At this point we were completely in control. Danny took the ball off his man several times and rounded him to turn defence into attack, Liam was galloping through midfield; brilliant play by him, Darius and MIkey led to him being very unlucky not to score. Then equally brilliant play led to James shooting wide after passing by Ben, Danny and Reece. The latter shot, the keeper spilled and James hit the rebound wide.Then Darius battled and battled for the ball, won it, sent Mikey on a run who passed to Scott, put a great ball over for Mikey. The keeper spilled it again, Danny shot and then the keeper made a great save.It looked like the fourth goal was never going to come. Then following another goalmouth scramble in which we had several chances and the keeper played brilliantly the ball came out to Darius who finished it with a cracker into the top corner from outside the area.Reece made it five. Danny ran down the wing, crossed to James who hit a shot. Again it rebounded and came out to Reece on the edge of the area. He scored with a great shot. First game. First goal.He then played well and made a contribution to number six. Great play by him got the ball into the area, he shot, the ball came out to Danny who scored from a tight angle.Reece really impressed in his first match. Danny and Mikey also looked good, playing some good football together. The back four looked comfortable, Sam and Sean especially, and man of the match Warren. The other man to impress was manager’s man of the match Darius who played some tremendous football today and scored two superb goals – and could have had more. Danny, pacy on the wing, looked dangerous but he does need to get away from the mentality of last season. He is playing full time for Chadderton now and is part of a team. He needs to know he doesn’t need to do everything.The small pitch and nets did us no favours today. We should have scored more and no doubt will at home but we shot wide too many times and at times the through balls were too strong for the pitch. Bring on Foxdenton! But it was a comfortable win when it has to be said we can and will play better.