Vodkat North West Counties Premier League

Saturday 31st January 2009

Bacup Borough secured their third straight win since the turn of the year, continuing their rich vein of scoring form having found the net on no less than 11 times in three matches and conceding three goals all of which have come from the penalty spot, one in each of the three games played in the Vodkat North West Counties League Competition’s.

It was evident from the start that Bacup were not going to have things their own way against a competitive workmanlike Abbey Hey side. With a little more precision in front of goal Abbey Hey could have had the visitors chasing the game from early in the first half. A long clearance up field caught Borough short on numbers in defense the oncoming ball was cleared but only against an advancing Abbey Hey player who sent the ball back into the opposite direction goal bound. Martin Campbell making his debut in the Bacup Goal was left stranded but thankfully the ball went on the outside of the post with an empty net gaping. Abbey Hey on several occasions exploited the inefficiencies of the Bacup defence and it took a good save from Campbell to keep Abbey Hey out, this was followed by an Abbey Hey free kick which whistled wide of the post.

The game was becoming end to end with Bacup on several occasions catching the home side on the counter attack. Martin Cosgrave was fouled to earn Bacup a free kick, Giggs and Roscoe were on the ball with the latter putting in quality which the Abbey Hey keeper could only palm away, any follow up would have guaranteed a Bacup goal. It was Sean Roscoe again that turned provider when he put a quality ball into the penalty area for the advancing Giggs, had his decision have been to head the ball it would have been a certain goal, however he opted to strike but his effort went way over the cross bar.

On twenty minutes Bacup took the lead, captain Davey Luker collected the ball on the right side of the pitch he held off a couple of challengers before chipping the ball to Giggs who produced a well taken finish.

On the half hour Bacup got their second goal from a corner which was swung in from the right by Roscoe, the ball struck the underside of the Abbey Hey cross bar and Steve Sheil’s as on hand to touch the ball over the line.

Bacup’s two goal cushion was short lived when one minute later the home side won themselves a penalty as a result of players breaking through unopposed and defender Kyle Harrop committed himself resulting in the spot kick being awarded. Up stepped Hefferman who placed his spot kick well out of reach of Martin Campbell in the Bacup goal. At times the Bacup rear guard looked vulnerable but they did manage to get to half time without conceding a further goal.

It was not long into the second half when Bacup made their first substitution, on came Jamie Byrne to make his debut for the club, replacing Lee Oldham and Jamie had only been on the pitch ten minutes when he gave his side a two goal cushion. It started when defender Kyle Harrop played the ball to Giggs who slipped in Cosgrave, his route was cut off to goal so he opted to continue the passing of the ball slipping in Jamie Byrne’s who placed the ball well past the advancing keeper.

Further Bacup substitutions were introduced Jamie Rother was replaced by Matthew Hampson, and Adam Morning replaced Matthew Cross. Further chances were created mainly by Bacup but the score line remained the same.

Following the game Manager Brent Peters had this to say

“In contrast to our previous games we looked vulnerable at the back, Abbey Hey got into some dangerous positions with their direct play and their pace, exploiting the gaps which were evident due to our two full backs not being correctly positioned. In addition to this in midfield we were constantly loosing out on second balls but when we did get the ball down and play we looked a very good football team, however this only came in fits and starts.

The difference between the two sides in the first forty five minutes was that Abbey Hey who worked some excellent positions to score and really they should have scored, didn’t but when we got into good area’s we did score or if not, we certainly looked a constant threat. We had the likes of Giggs, Luker , Roscoe & Cosgrave that produced that bit of quality aided by good vision to execute a finish and fashion a goal. No doubt in my mind our opener came very much against the run of play .

The second half we showed more composure with the ball, we addressed the defensive positional problems to show an improvement in this department and we created further chances which, had we have taken them, it would have been another emphatic win. In all fairness a more emphatic score line would have been an injustice on our hosts.,

We deserved the win but we must be more disciplined within our positional play when we have not got the ball, otherwise better equipped sides than Abbey Hey will exploit that“

Team: Martin Campbell, Kyle Harrop, Ryan Marley, Steve Sheil, Matthew Cross (Adam Morning), Martin Cosgrave, Jamie Rother (Matthew Hampson), Davey Luker, Sean Roscoe, Rhodri Giggs, Lee Oldham (Jamie Byrne)

Subs Not Used: Warren Collier, Jacub Wood

Goals: Giggs 10, Sheil 20, Byrne 65

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