Season in a day for Bonage at the Bridge

Bamber Bridge Reserves boss Louis Bonage hopes a mix of youth and experience will take them to the next level.

They lost 2-1 at home to Stoneclough, who remain second in Division Two, despite having the lead at half time through Joe Noblett.

Rory Cormack and Joe Howlin’s second half goals gave the visitors the win.

“It’s the story of the season really,” said Bonage, (pictured above with Lewis Pilgrim). “We’ve gone in at half time with a lead and gone away with nothing.

“We said at half time, it’s down to fitness really.

“We’ve only been back for two years and there's a lot of lads that are playing as favours for me and [the squad] is not where it should be.

“We have a lot of 16, 17-year-olds who’ve not been able to train.

“But it summed it up really yesterday.

“On Wednesday night [3-2 loss to Mill Hill], I was bitterly disappointed in the performance that we churned out.

“But yesterday, it pains me to say this, and I said this to the lads afterwards, even though we got beat, I was quite pleased with them, proud of them.

“We had to emphasise it's all about winning but there was something there on Saturday, we just ran out of steam.

“Stoneclough are up there for a reason, they’re a good, firm, gritty team and I like them quite a lot.

“They're a decent team and I do hope that they go up.”

Elements of this season have been a disappointment for Bonage’s side, but he’s hopeful that the future remains bright if they bring through the right talent.

“The aspirations were to push for promotion but we lost three of our first nine games in August so it made it quite tough.

“It comes with quite a large amount of weight, the title of who we are.

“I think people have far greater expectations than what's actually reality; it's took me a long time to get my head around that myself.

“We finished fifth last year all told, we were pushing early on and then we had a bit of a fall off a cliff.

“It’s happened again this season and our (six) points deduction after Christmas absolutely just nullified everything.

“Things will change, I’ve got high hopes for those younger guys, we’ve got a couple from Chorley, they’ve been absolutely superb and I hope that Lewis Pilgrim wants to stay on too.

“The idea will be to get in a group of younger lads, we’ve picked up a few more.

“I had to sign on six lads before we went to Dalton the other week, all 16 or 17-year-olds.

"So why not give them a go now ‘til the end of the season?

"Hopefully they can gain some experience and kick on from there.

“But there's definitely got to be a change in pace at the club in the summer, without a doubt.

“There has to be an outlook and a plan in place, bridging the gap to the first team is massive and it won’t happen overnight.

“If we can have some young kids that are willing to progress with us, maybe have a look at North West Counties for a season, then back to our first team, that's a plan that I would like to happen for our team and our club, really.

“The older lads know this as well, the conversations have already been had.

“That's not to say that I won't be looking to recruit some older, experienced lads, maybe three or four, and just bed them in with a group of younger lads.”

Elsewhere in Division Two, table-toppers Fulwood Amateurs Reserves comprehensively beat Appley Bridge 6-0.

Goals from Jonty McDonald, Hugo Strand (2), Joey Higham, Will Pitt and Aaron Beattie gave the leaders another big win.

Hawcoat Park moved off the bottom of the table as they won 3-1 at Walney Island, who fell to the foot of the league.

Max Winder put them ahead before Joe McKechnie equalised for Walney Island, however Matty Roberts reclaimed the away side’s lead soon after and added his second after the break to secure a vital win.

Storeys’ good start helped them on their way to a 4-2 win over Garstang Reserves, while Dalton United came from a goal down to see off Charnock Richard Reserves 2-1.

In the Premier Division, leaders Eagley secured yet another home win as they beat Poulton 2-1 with Finlay Stafford and Cole Collins finding the net, before Toby Scammell halved the deficit.

Ruthless Rossendale blew away Burscough Richmond in the first 15 minutes on their way to a resounding 5-0 win.

The depleted visitors, who could only name one sub – joint manager Jonathan Heap – burst out of the blocks to go ahead on six minutes through the impressive Ish Usman.

Jack Mouncey was then bundled over in the box to give Luke Simpson the chance the double the lead from the spot on 11 minutes, an opportunity he took with aplomb.

Within three minutes, it was 3-0, Scott Wylie turning his marker before unleashing an unstoppable shot from 20 yards.

Burscough were shellshocked but worse was to come barely a minute later when Mouncey was played in and he stroked home to make it four.

Mouncey then took advantage of an unfortunate ricochet to burst clear and make it 5-0 on 33 minutes, with Usman striking a post shortly after.

The ever-willing Jordan Lorde forced Lewis Monaghan into a smart save low to his right as the home side kept fighting into the second half.

Wylie put Usman’s inviting cross over the bar from 10 yards as Rossendale looked to extend their lead, but they saw the game out comfortably to leapfrog their opponents into ninth.

Blackpool Wren Rovers enjoyed a comfortable 5-2 win at fellow top five hopefuls Hurst Green.

Danny Fletcher and Rob Hanslip got Wren Rovers off to the perfect start inside 10 minutes, at which point Daniel Wilkinson pulled one back for the hosts.

However, Alfie Tomlinson scored his side’s third with two minutes to go until the break, before Fletcher added his second on the hour.

Scott Craven narrowed the margins slightly 10 minutes later, but the visitors scored their fifth late on thanks to Charlie King.

Astley & Buckshaw and Milnthorpe Corinthians also enjoyed five-star displays as they defeated CMB and Whitehaven respectively 5-0.

That Milnthorpe win condemned Coppull to relegation.

A Charlie Ridge double gave Haslingden St Mary’s a 2-0 home win over Cleator Moor Celtic, while Millom beat Tempest United 3-1.

Carnforth Rangers stole the show in Division One during their 6-0 home win over Askam United.

Cameron Holmes bagged a hat trick with the other three goals falling to Joe Jobling, Joe Wilkinson and Jamie Huddleston. Carnforth remain in fourth with games in hand over teams in and around them.

Third-placed Pause United secured a 2-0 win over Croston Sports thanks to second half goals from Jack Preston and player-manager Aaron Helliwell.

Ulverston Rangers saw off Holker Old Boys 4-0 as Jordan Chubb, Sam Harrison, Sam Pinnegor and Chris Wraighte all found the net.

The Kendal derby was entertaining from minute one to 90 as United and County drew 3-3.

Kendal United opened the scoring inside the opening 60 seconds through Steve Brown, to which County responded with goals from Ryan Close and Lewis Casson.

Frank Hine’s double for United later in the first half looked like it would prove decisive but County found a leveller in the final minute of normal time as Connor Walmsley made it 3-3.

There was also late drama as Freckleton rescued a point with Lytham Town; a 94th-minute Cain Blows goal saw it end 2-2.

In Reserve Division One, Haslingden St Mary’s Res won 5-1 away to Coppull Res, Lostock St Gerards Res beat Turton Res 4-1, leaders Blackpool Wren Rovers Res earned a 2-0 win over Carnforth Res and Chipping Res edged past Hesketh Bank Res 1-0.

Two sides in Reserve Division Two got comfortable 5-1 wins as Stoneclough Res and Storeys Res over Croston Res and Astley & Buckshaw Res respectively, while Rossendale Res saw off Milnthorpe Res 3-1.

In the first Stewart Rowe Memorial Cup semi final, Poulton Reserves won 2-1 over Hurst Green Reserves thanks to second half goals from Josh Blincow and Lewis Middleton.

The second semi final will see Rossendale Reserves take on Lostock St Gerards Reserves.