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*This was Thunder's first Section B fixture of the season in the Bolton Bury and District League and Beechy had a few new players on view. Both Man of the Match Harry Shaw and Taonga Mututa produced some very good defending as Tiki Taka made a promising start. Ishor Bajgai forced Thunder's first corner and after the flag kick Callum Snaith saw his effort on target pushed to safety by the visitors keeper. Konstantin Hristova and Sonny Stephens went close to opening the scoring with long range efforts as play drifted swiftly from end to end. Tiki Taka won three successive throw-ins and on one occasion Beechy Keeper Andrew Woodward was forced into action when he made a fairly easy save.
Thunder struggled at times to find a decent rhythm and wasted possession put unwanted pressure on Beechy's defence and both Lucas Madden and Harry Shaw had to make vital clearances from inside the penalty area. An accurate long pass by Harry Shaw found Ishor Bajgai in acres of space and Thunder's No19 sent Sonny Stephens on a run into the area but a fine effort by Beechy's No8 was well saved by the visitors keeper. Sonny was then replaced by Tom Cox and Thunder's substitute was quickly involved as Beechy attempted to take control of a rather scrappy game. When Beechy made a couple of tactical changes Ishor Bajgai dropped into the back four while Taonga Mututa took on a more forward role.
The Tiki Taka keeper made another fine reaction save when he managed to divert the ball away for a corner after Max Chidgey had fired an effort on target. Play quickly moved to the other end of the pitch and the visitors No10 found space just inside the area forcing a fine one-handed save from Andrew Woodward. Following another well delivered corner by Konstantin Hristova the ball ran onto Dominic Lawton who's first time effort flew over the crossbar. Tom Cox also found himself in a good goalscoring position when he won possession after a surging run down the left wing by Max Chidgey.
During the last few minutes of the first half Harry Shaw, Ishor Bajgai, Callum Snaith and Konstantin Hristova defended admirably as Tiki Taka went close again to taking the lead. A move involving Lucas Madden and Dominic Lawton was the last piece of real action before the referee ended the first half. (HT 0-0) Early in the second half Beechy again went close to opening the scoring when Tox Cox, Dominic Lawton and Taonga Mututa had efforts on target saved by the in-form Tiki Taka keeper. For a brief period the action remained in the visitors half as Thunder enjoyed more of the ball and Max Chidgey who was back on the pitch plus Sonny Stephens and Ryley Walker were all denied a goal by good Tiki Taka defending.
The visitors who played throughout with only ten players won their first corner in the 54th minute and the Tiki Taka No10 had a great chance to score following the flag kick but he fired the ball wide from close range. A couple of minutes later Beechy were awarded a penalty for handball and Max Chidgey was given the responsibilty of of taking the spot-kick but Thunder's No9 blasted the ball over the crossbar. An effort from twenty five yards by Dominic Lawton just missed the target then Taonga Mututa who had replaced Lucas Madden also went close to breaking the deadlock. Following another counter-attack from Tiki Taka the visitors No15 was ready to celebrate a goal but Andrew Woodward rescued Thunder with a world class save.
Beechy were continually frustrated by their lack of finding the correct pass at the right moment and Konstantin Hristova, Ishor Bajgai, Harry Shaw and Callum Snaith were forced to produce some vital defending during a late Tiki Taka attacking surge and Andrew Woodward made a crucial save in the latter stages. Thunder's match winning goal arrived via a neat passing move involving Ishor Bajgai, Taonga Mututa and Dominic Lawton who's low cross into the area was met at the back post by the unmarked Ryley Walker and Beechy's No8 fired the ball into the roof of the net.