BURY JUNIORS 2, RADCLIFFE BORO U14 4: Boro Under 14s travelled to Lower Gigg and emerged with the North Bury Junior Football League Premier Division points after a hard-fought tussle.
The visitors dominated the first half in terms of possession but were unable to create many clear-cut chances.
Ryan Dillon burst through only to volley just over the bar; Rafi Leker twice hit fierce drives too high and Dean Thomas had a shot deflected wide.
However, it was Bury who took the lead in fortuitous circumstances, a defender's clearance ricocheting off a home player past the stranded keeper.
Boro continued to press and equalised seconds before half time when David Eccles dived to head home Peter Molyneux's excellent corner kick.
Boro started the second half strongly, launching a series of incisive attacks, and took the lead with a well-worked goal.
Eccles skillfully pulled the ball down before slipping it through to Greg Davies; he took the ball on before hitting a fine shot across the keeper into the far corner.
Leker hit another fierce drive just over the bar and Eccles went close with a couple of headers.
Boro seemed to be well in command but were rocked when Bury broke away to score the equaliser.
The visitors surged back into the attack and before long, Tom Hall's free kick sent Davies racing through to slip the ball into the net to regain the lead.
Hall then had a powerful header blocked from a corner.
Good work by Leker set up Scott Evans, who delivered an excellent cross to the far post where Dillon rose high to head the ball emphatically down past the keeper for Boro's fourth.
However, the home side refused to lie down and came more and more into the match.
Ryan McDonald made a superb save to hold a fierce volley as Bury came close to reducing the arrears.
Boro found it increasingly hard to break out as the home side threw everything at them in a bid to save the match.
Aaron Ashton made a great clearance almost on the goal- line and a scramble led to a home forward hitting the post from an acute angle.
However, Boro defended resolutely to secure a deserved victory.
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