It's been a while. With the weather and then Storm Claudia putting paid to the previous two arranged fixtures, it was good to be back - but what a kerfuffle in trying to get this game on! The rain had battered Moss Park all week and desperate to get the game on, the gaffer booked not one but two astro-turf pitches - and it was Ladybridge High School that won the selection. So - with AFC Wigan making the trip over - at least there was a game of football for the United fans to enjoy...

And as we arrived, it was clear that the boys were on it - as the music pumped from the changing-room and the banter was a-flowing. One thing that was of concern was to see the skipper arrive with a freshly-filled hot-water bottle wrapped around his neck - the aftermath of a knock he took playing for the Sunday team the week before. The lads rightly went in on him but for now, it was needs-must. With their kits on, they were soon out onto the plastic turf warming up and by the looks of their vigour, they were up for this...

When the starting 11 was announced, it saw one change for the team that started over in Blackburn three weeks ago - and that saw Marcus come in to replace the absent Robbo - so as the lads were given their last-minute instructions from the boss, they listened intently. Today was about 'going for it' and with a nice, flat pitch to play on. surely this was suited to our passing game. The visitors had made us work hard for our 2-1 win at theirs back in early October so we knew that we'd have to make sure that wasn't the case this time round. With the referee calling the captains together, the rest of the players got themselves in shape and the sizeable crowd - once again filled with United supporters - stood back in anticipation of what was to come...

And within 5 minutes, it was the team in white and black that took the lead. We had forced the ball down our right and as Charlie got hold of it, he slipped it inside to Ben. He dragged it back around his marker and unleashed a pearl of a shot that had the keeper beaten all-hands down, it hit the corner of the post and bar before dropping down - and there was Ste Palin to pick up the loose ball and slam it home. 1-0 to us and it was fully deserved so far...

All of the early attacking moves were ours out there however the flag seemed to raised every time Charlie broke through. We were doing all of the pressing and stringing together some lovely passing - and on 20 minutes, it paid dividends. Another excellent team-move saw us ping the ball about until Nathan Bancroft received it wide on the right. He made a fantastic run at their left-back and slid the ball past him before swinging in a great cross - and there was Marcus Grundy to ram it home off their centre-back from about 8 yards out. 2-0 and we were flying...

And as the game inched past the half-hour mark, we made it three. Once again it came from our right-hand side - as Nathan and Ste worked it superbly between each other to cut their defence to pieces and another great cross floated into the mixer once again saw that man Marcus get to it before their defender and the ball slammed into the back of their net before their keeper could react. 3-0 and we were proper on top here...

We then saw the frustration in the AFC Wigan lads coming out - as their skipper received a deserved yellow card for a two-footed lunge on Ste - but it was clear that they just couldn't handle the pace and trickery we had on our flanks today. And on 38 minutes, we all thought we'd seen the fourth goal. Liam Haycock lined up a great free-kick from all of 25 yards out - and as he hammered it in, it beat their keeper's finger-tips and looked destined for the back of the net - until it slammed against the crossbar, came back and hit their flying keeper's head - and bounced back out for a corner. So unlucky from our No.8...

The visitors hadn't really caused us any concern up to now with the defence working well together and with Alex and Liam bossing the midfield battle and Marcus being the link between the midfield and the front-three, we were looking really good. And the last action of a great first-half for us saw us grab our fourth goal of the game. We had once more worked the ball well from back to front and as it fell as Ben's feet, he gave his marker the eye before slipping it inside his left - and there was our Lewis to remind us of a previous life when he was a top-striker - as he slammed the ball with the outside of his left-boot to curl it wide of their keeper'sout-stretched hand and inside the far post at pace. What a strike! And testament to how well we had played in this first-half. 4-0...

Half-time: BREIGHTMET UNITED 4-0 AFC Wigan

As the boys came in for their well-deserved drinks, they were told how good that had been - but nothing was won yet - and we had to go back out there feeling it was still 0-0 and continue pouring forward as we had been doing at will. Everything was bob-on - the passing was crisp and on point, the movement off the ball was free-flowing and all over the park, we were winning our individual battles. One change was made - with Keegie came on for a rather puzzled Nathan Durrans - and as the lads went back out there, they knew what needed to be done...

However on 50 minutes, we conceded. A ball over the top seemed to find us a little flat-footed and with their striker the wrong side of our back-four, Chris went to make the challenge but took the man instead of the ball. It did look outside the box if we're honest - but the man that mattered pointed to the spot and their striker made no mistake in smashing it hard and fast past our Mitch and into the back of our net.4-1 and we had to wake up now...

Being four goals to the good, it did seem to make us a little less-interested but that's probably only natural when we had such command of the game - so on 66 minutes, we made another change by bringing Charlie off and replacing him with Logan straight down the middle. And on 74 minutes, we scored again. This time the ball had been fed out to the left and as Ben done his marker for pace, he whipped in a great cross from the byeline to see Ste Palin charging in at the back-post - and his header slammed past their keeper and into the roof of his net. 5-1 and surely that was the points in the bag now....

We did concede again though and this time it saw a long punt forward catch us unawares again. The ball bounced and with us all at sixes and sevens, their striker nipped in to take it forward and arch it past Mitch and into the back of our net. 5-2 but surely there wasn't enough time to make it nervy now...

There was no need to worry. We made another change - with Cam Morgado coming on to replace the excellent Nathan Bancroft - and we managed the last 10 minutes or so well - keeping the ball and making sure that we used it wisely - and with 88 minutes on the clock, we saw something that nobody has ever seen before - and that's a hat-trick for our Stephen Palin. In truth he finished his first two well - but the pass/cross in had made it for him - and this one was no different and for the fourth time this afternoon, Ben managed to assist. He had chipped the ball over the dive of their full-back and putting his cross on a path of our Ste, he couldn't miss - and slammed the ball home from close range to secure his first treble and ensure that these points were staying in Bolton. 6-2 and that was that...

The handshakes were done with pride and as both teams left the arena, the supporters rightly showed their appreciation. A good crowd had come over to BL3 to cheer us on today and as always, we are forever grateful. That's six points won against our foes from Wigan and when news filtered through that Wyresdale had lost at home to Old Blackburnians, it was just the top-off to the day that we needed...

Ste was rightly awarded the Man of the Match out there today and with the lads knowing how well they played, attention soon turned to the next one - and the trip into Cheshire to take on Lymm AFC. They usually make Sandy Lane a bit of a fortress and our 1-1 draw there last season will long stay in the memory of the lads considering how well we played. Only three points will suffice over in WA13 next weekend - so make sure you get over there to roar us to victory...

A massive thanks to those of you that came out to support us today and we're sure you'll agree that when the boys play like that, they are an absolute joy to watch. We just need to do it game after game now and who knows - come next May, we could be in with a big chance..

Another Saturday. Another three points. Lymm - you're next...

#OnceUnitedNeverDivided