These kids have been playing superbly since the season started - and the first half of it culminated this morning. We were going over to Darnhill in Heywood to take on our closest rivals so far - Milnrow Dynamos knowing that a win today would not only see us claim yet more silverware but also a place in the Premiership come the turn of the New Year. No pressure then...

And when the lads arrived and made their way out for their warm-up's, that's exactly the message the coaches were working hard to get across. No pressure. This was just another game of football and if we played as well as we know we can, then we knew we'd run them close. The lads looked up for it and as they pinged the ball about, they looked like they were taking it all in their stride. Just relax, take our time and make the right decisions. The starting 9 was announced - and it saw Freddie take his place between the posts with the likes of Max, Jack and Alex were tasked with making sure nothing got near him. We then had Finley Connolly, Jacob and Will tying things up between them and our attacking duo of Oliver and Finlay Durham - and with Miles, James, Jenson, Dylan, Declan and Noah to call upon when we needed to switch things around, we were good to go. The Breightmet fans were there and they were loud and proud and as the whistle went to commence the game, we all sat back for what proved to be a cracking game of u12's football...

And enjoy it they did! Although the game started quite scrappy - with the ball being smacked here, there and everywhere - but as it began to settle down, it was us that were looking the more likely. And eventually, we got the chance that we needed when a superb pass from Jacob put Will Duffy clean through on goal. As he was about to pick his spot and tuck the ball away, all the Milnrow defender could do was take his legs from under him - and the referee had no choice but to point directly to the spot. Finlay Durham stepped up and as he placed the ball down, the Breightmet fans looked on with their eyes behind their hands. They needn't have worried - as he stepped forward and BANG! - he duly smashed the ball beyond their No.1 and we had the lead! 1-0 and the travelling fans were going wild in the aisles over on the right...

The goal calmed us down and we began to get the ball down and pass it into the channels now. That gave our attackers the room they needed to weave their magic and shortly after, we doubled our lead. Once again, Finlay Durham was involved - with a fantastic corner laid on a plate and our Captain made no mistake in slotting it home from about 10 yards out. 2-0 and as his team-mates ran to swamp him, the skipper looked as though he knew how important that goal could be...

And before we knew it, that was the end of a pulsating first-half of football and if we could keep it like this, then it was mission accomplished...

Half-time: BREIGHTMET UNITED 2-0 MILNROW DYNAMOS

As the boys came in, the smiles on their faces said it all. But the coaches were quick to remind them that nothing was won yet and there was still a lot of hard work to be done if we wanted to have our hands on that trophy. We just had to keep doing what we'd been doing really though and with a couple of changes made, James wanted his troops back out there before the opposition - as a tactical move to show them we were ready to go again - already...

The second half mirrored the first really - with Breightmet keeping the ball well and trying to break down their tight defence - and whenever the Milnrow lads did try to attack, our defence and Freddie were coping with whatever they could throw at us. We had a few good chances - with Declan Derby going close on a couple of occasions and winning what looked like a stonewall penalty only to see it waved away by the match official. They say that a 2-0 lead is sometimes one of the worst leads to have - and this next goal could make or break the game for us...

We thought we'd clinched it when a great move landed at the feet of Oliver and he hit it so sweetly that the Milnrow keeper hadn't even moved before it went past him - but again our hopes were dashed when the match official blew his whistle and ruled it out for offside. We had no clue where that decision had come from because the referee must have been the only one to have seen it - but on went the game and we were still on top...

And then it came. Moving the ball quickly through the lines, the opponents just couldn't get back in numbers and we fed the ball into the run of Oliver. He timed his movement to perfection and as the ball opened up in front of him, he hammered his shot low and hard into the bottom corner of their net giving their No.1 no chance of stopping it! The United fans were jumping up and down and with a wry smile to his face, James knew that was probably the one that did it! 3-0 and we were flying...

Credit to the team from down the M62 though as they didn't just fold and they managed to pull a goal back when we lost concentration momentarily. A long free-kick was punted into our box and with the lads waiting for each other to clear it, it nipped their striker to finish it from a tight-angle and with the score now stood at 3-1, was that the catalyst for them to make the comeback of all comebacks? We hoped not...

It wasn't - don't worry. Because with the quality we have amongst these ranks, there's always the chance of more goals - and that's exactly what we saw not long after. Oliver, Jacob and Finlay Connolly all linked up well as they worked the ball in triangles through the midfield and at the right time, the pass was laid into the path of Declan - who finished with aplomb as he drilled the ball into the bottom corner from about 12 yards out. What a finish! And a goal that we knew would give us the victory that we'd craved for when we woke up this morning...

And that was that! We'd done it! The whistle went to end the game and the noise was almost deafening as the Breightmet players, coaches and fans celebrated together and these scenes are beginning to become common-place with these kids! The handshakes were done with pride - and fair play to the Milnrow Dynamos contingent that made the game such a good one - but today was all about us now and the players looked jubilant as they made their way off the park...

Freddie had been fantastic throughout the game - with some really safe handling and a great save when the score was at 2-0 to keep us in front. We also have to mention that he also added a nice card of yellow to his ever-growing collection this season so it's all good. Well done keeper - you did us proud out there!

We want to also mention our rock-solid defence of Jack Potterton, Max Gibson, Dylan Allen, Alex Thistlethwaite and Noah Hughes - who all smashed it for us as they kept things tight at the back and limited the opposition to only one or two good chances throughout the game. To have such a formidable foundation by which to build attacks on will always give good teams opportunities so it needs to be praised when it's called for...

Then there was our midfield who won that battle in there nearly all game today. Miles Disley, Jacob Hamilton, Will Duffy, Finley Connolly and Declan Darcy were excellent and gave us the right things at the right times from the first whistle to the last. Their work-rate was first-class and with an engine room like ours, no wonder we're fighting for honours all the time! Well played again today boys - we're so very proud of you all...

And last but not least - it's our potent strike-force who once again gave their markers nightmares all game today. James King, Jenson Walsh, Finlay Durham and Oliver Mitchell-Young worked the channels well, were direct in their approach and made sure that their defenders and goalkeeper were their busiest players all game. We know that whenever we get the ball forward, we've got a chance of scoring and that's all down to you lads so well played again...

We also need to mention the supporters that made the trip over to cheer us on today as it felt like we were playing at Moss Park with how loud you all were. It's great knowing that you're all there backing us through thick and thin and we were so pleased to have been able to make your journey worth-while. Make sure you enjoy the celebrations after this one and hopefully it won't be too long until you'll be celebrating again soon...

Onto the Prem we go then! That will do for us...

#OnceUnitedNeverDivided