Vodkat North West Counties Premier League

Saturday 28th March 2009

Bacup Borough salvaged one point from this game but they could very easily have lost the game but for the form of Borough goalkeeper Phil Melville who was certainly keeping the bears at bay.

Congleton Town ’s first chance came as a result of Jacub Wood trying to play the ball out of defence, Wood was dispossessed gifting the Congleton striker with a shot which went wide of the post. In the early stages of the game Bacup seemed to be getting muscled off the ball rather easy, Andy Bostock the Congleton full back went past Warren Collier with ease before delivering a good cross low into the path of his on coming team mate who’s goal bound shot was well saved with Melville’s feet.

With the constant rain having fallen over the past few days in East Lancashire the Bacup pitch was proving a problem to Bacup who tried but failed to get their slick passing moves going, on two many occasions the home side tried to play but by overplaying with the playing surface being a major factor constantly gifting the opposition possession, Jamie Rother on for the injured Ryan Marley could have put the ball into the Congleton penalty area but opted to play a little short pass with his captain Davey Luker, unfortunately Luker lost his footing, with it possession from which Congleton knocked the ball long to which the visitors had more men in an advanced position, the ball came into the area to which A Congleton player headed goal bound bringing a good save from Melville for a corner which was defended.

Bacup Borough did not mount any attack of any consequence until the 35 th minute, Tommy Turner did very well before slipping the ball through for the advancing Martin Cosgrave, with only the keeper to beat he failed to go across the Congleton keeper opting for the near post from which his effort went embarrassingly wide of the post, the home sides attack in the first half were rare but on thirty eight minutes Bacup leading goal scorer Tommy Turner was through onto goal, with the bears defender trying desperately but in vain to get beyond him to defend the shot, just as Turner was going to shoot he seemed to be impeded hence missing the chance.

With the form Melville was in and the lack of creativity from Bacup this game looked like it would be a stalemate first forty five minutes, this was until the forty fourth minute when once again a ball was delivered from Bacup’s right, the shot came in from a midfield player who had left Jamie Rother Ball watching his shot struck the Bacup post before coming back to strike the unfortunate Jacub Wood who could do nothing but agonisingly see the ball go over the line for an own goal.

Whilst the first forty five minutes was an half to forget for Bacup, they certainly started a whole lot better in the second half, Warren Collier broke out of defence with the ball before releasing Tommy Turner who did use his strength to burst through the Congleton defence, with Jamie Byrne on for Lee Oldham stood central of goal unmarked a square ball looked the best bet but Turner opted to shoot advancing in from the right into the side netting.

Sixty Minutes on the clock and Bacup were level, this goal came from a Bacup free kick on the left side of the pitch, Matthew Hampson sent the ball which Matt Conkie in the Congleton goal did come to punch away, the punch was at a perfect height for the advancing Jamie Byrne to head back into the net.

Congleton did have an opportunity to have taken the lead when Kyle Harrop lost the ball leaving his Goal Keeper Phil Melville to pull off a save to save his blushes.

The visitors then won a free kick when Steve Sheils did impede his counterpart, whist Phil Melville was lining his wall up Congleton took the kick quickly to which Melville who must have seen it late did get across to save.

In the dying minutes of the game with both sides desperate for the winner both could easily have done just that, Bacup Borough’s Martin Cosgrave broke, making a deep penetrating run into the Congleton box, eventually Congleton did get the ball clear, long up the pitch early from which the home side were almost caught on the counter attack when various players failed to retreat with any urgency, the visitors broke quickly hungry for the winner which eluded them due to yet another fine save from Phil Melville in the Bacup Borough goal.

Manager Brent Peters Had This To Say Following The Game.” It as been a long time this season that our keeper as been kept as busy as he was in this game, the reason for this was quite simply we collectively did fail to alter our play to suit the conditions, we would still try to play our slick passing game & over play, too many times players would loose their footing which would surrender possession to the opposition, from this Congleton would knock the ball long but with a purpose, their lads upfront were getting hold of the ball well thus allowing their midfield to get up and support their strikers in the main over loading us in their attacking third, in contrast when ever we did get the ball up front to our lads it would come back onto our defence to quickly as no one was getting hold of the ball.

My players over the season have set very high standards and also they have produced football of the highest quality, they must learn and quickly when conditions change, then their style must change, for me it was a good job Phil Melville was in inspired form otherwise we would have been defeated, had the outfield players contributed to the game that Matthew Hampson did, then there is no doubt in my mind that we would have created far more chances than we did and then may be, have gone on to win the game, in the end I am happy with the outcome of one point with so many players not on it but I am sure my counterpart will not be so happy with one point from the opportunities from which Congleton did create. This game is the first of three games this week, two away games and one at home, had someone would have asked me what would I take from the three games before a ball was kicked. I would have said being realistic I would say seven points, this target can still be achieved so I will see where we are come Thursday Morning and pass judgement then “

Team: Phill Mellville, Kyle Harrop, Steve Sheil, Ryan Marley (Jamie Rother), Jacub Wood, Warren Collier (Matthew Andrew), Matthew Hampson, Davey Luker, Martin Cosgrave, Lee Oldham (Jamie Byrne), Tommy Turner

Subs Not Used: Martin Peters, Lawrence Greenhalgh

Goals: Jamie Byrne 60

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