There have been some big changes in and around our great club over the past few months - but the most important part is and always will be the football - so today was the first opportunity that we'd get to see what Si and Baz had managed to do with their recruitment. As always, when the guys pull on that famous white and black shirt, they'd give their all to the cause - and today would be no different. We had chosen kept a tough task to open up with though...

We were making the short trip to Thornleigh's Astro as we were taking on Little Lever Reserves - who finished in a respectable 3rd in Division 4 of the Manchester Football League last season - and only missed out on promotion on goal-difference so we knew we'd have a big challenge on our hands. We were up for it though and with the warm-up's done, it was time to announce that starting 11...

We were going with a 4-3-3 shape that saw Lewis Haslam take his place between the posts and the four in front of him saw Brad partner up with Charlie in the middle and Shaun and Liam Greenhalgh at full-backs. Skipper Connor was going to sit a little deeper than Liam Drakley and Ben in the middle of the park and with Baz in front of them, he was going to be the link between our midfield and Calvin Ashcroft and Gary McShane up top. With Ste Selby, Tom Whiteman and George on the bench, we were good to go. The bosses just told their troops to enjoy it, work hard and remember that it's only pre-season - so no injuries and just get much-needed minutes in those legs. The boys trotted out there - and the next 90 or so minutes provided some pretty decent entertainment...

The game started pretty tentatively - with neither side getting the ball down and stitching together any moves of note - but we were slow to get going and before we knew it, the Little Lever side had gone in front. A quick move down their left saw the ball swung into the middle and as their striker just managed to get to it first, he struck his shot with venom and it flew past Lewis and into the back of our net. 0-1 and we had it all to do now...

To their credit, the boys never took their minds off the task and we had a few set-pieces that saw us come close to levelling things - with Calvin firing one just wide and us causing their defence problems when we swung it into the mixer - and as the minutes ticked by, this was a lot closer than most people would have thought. We made some changes as we wanted to try out a few things and when the whistle went for the break, it was still very much all to play for...

Half-time: Little Lever Reserves 1-0 BREIGHTMET UNTED

There were words of encouragement as the lads came in for their drinks - as we had done alright in patches out there - so all we needed to do now was make sure we dug in when they ha the ball and used our pace down the flanks if we could get it higher up the pitch. The lungs were re-filled and we were back out there ready to go again...

And within minutes of the re-start, we were all-square again. Wining a free-kick just inside their half, Baz went over to take it - and he floated a delicious ball into their box that saw Liam Drakley rise like a salmon to arch over their back-line and slam his header low and hard into the back of their net - leaving their No.1 no chance of stopping it! A fine goal and as his team-mates rushed to celebrate with him. Liam knew that. 1-1 and it was all-square again...

Conceding seemed to sting the hosts into life and they began to surge forward at every opportunity. Some last-ditch defending and a few excellent saves from our Lewis kept them at bay for a while and as the game wore on, we just needed to be resolute and make sure we stayed in this. Who knew? We could nick a winner if we defended well here...

We did defend well and as the game ticked into injury-time, we got that chance that we knew we'd get. Some great football by our central players saw the ball whipped out wide quickly and as it was fired into the box, up leapt our Gaz to plant a glorious header goalwards. it beat their keeper all-hands down - but also missed their crossbar by a matter of inches as it flew over - and the chance to snatch it had gone. Ho-hum - this had been a fine first-outing and as the whistle blew to end the game, both teams knew that they had just blown the cobwebs out well here. 1-1 and it was a fair result to be honest...

Good luck to Little Lever for the coming season and we wish you well in all that you do. And for us - well, we're happy with that. Training has been a little hit and miss and with several new - and plenty of old - faces back in the ranks, it's a case of rebuilding a little for us before the campaign starts in earnest in August. But on today's showing, we've ever reason to be optimistic. Well done lads - we're proud of you...

Onto Saturday now and we've had a last-minute change of plans as we go to take on Hollinwood FC - this time of Division 2 of the Manchester Football League - so things won't be any easier. But this is what pre-season is about - working on things and getting patterns together - so the results are somewhat unimportant. Today's was a good one though...

Thanks to the United fans that came down to cheer us on tonight and we hope to see you all over in Oldham again on Saturday. We're excited about this season that's for sure...

#OnceUnitedNeverDivided