FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round Replay

Tuesday 18th August 2009

It has taken a 117th minute free kick to separate these two sides. Two minutes of injury time in the first period of extra time Bacup conceded what seemed an extremely cheap free kick from the official but it was this decision and strike which sent Atherton through to the next round and £750 better off with the prize money.

Bacup Borough have only themselves to blame, in both games several chances have been created but not finished, some praise must go to the home side keeper who certainly kept his team in tonight’s game, however Bacup must be more clinical when opportunities come along.

The first Bacup effort came from a deep free kick, the ball was knocked in behind the Atherton defence Warren Collier chased the ball down, the Atherton keeper was quick off his line but Collier was there first to strike the ball over the keeper to drop just over the crossbar. Borough’s next effort also came from a free kick, Matthew Hampson played the ball to Collier who’s header found Cosgrave but his shot was weak and easy for the keeper.

The best bit of football played on a rutted hard pitch was when Jamie Rother made a strong ball challenge before finding Smith who in turn found Moises who struck a first time effort that struck the outside of the post.

Atherton who constantly played long balls up to their target man were not creating anything and it was the visitors creating the better opportunities none better than three quarters through the half when Bacup won a corner. The ball was played quickly before being struck right across the six yard box but sadly no one took the initiative to attack the ball which would have produced a certain goal.

At the opposite end Atherton won a corner which was cleared as far as Cosgrave who broke clear to set Bacup on the attack, for some reason he failed to go direct, stopped to check back and lost the ball.

Bacup had one last effort before the break when good play using the width of the pitch involving Matthew Hampson, Jamie Rother & Warren Collier, who laid the ball to Rother who’s shot was blocked on the line.

At the start of the second half it was no surprise when the first effort went to Atherton. This came from a free kick twenty yards out which whistled over the bar, at the opposite end Bacup won a free kick when Hampson found Moises head which the Atherton keeper did well to get a good firm hand on the ball to scoop it back from going over the line.

The first time the Bacup Keeper was made to work for his money came late into the second half when Adrian Bellamy conceded a free kick, the ball was knocked diagonal and the goal bound header was well saved by Ashley Timms

At the start of extra time Adrian Bellamy tried to pinch the ball but failed leaving the lad through on goal from a wide position, he knocked the ball across Timms but there was no advancing player to tap the ball into the net.

Another error followed when keeper Ashley Timms failed to deal with a ball that had been played back to him, the keeper got robbed and Atherton got the ball into the net but luckily the Referee ruled he had been fouled. There was to be no luck two minutes into injury time when the Referee awarded what did seem a nothing free kick, the ball was struck well by Patton but at a good height for the keeper to deal with but surprisingly he failed and the ball went through him and Atherton were a goal in front.

The second half of extra time Bacup were attacking down the Crilly Park slope and for the majority of the fifteen minutes it was a barrage of Bacup players, chances went begging once again, the Atherton keeper again keeping his side in the game and blocks on the goal line. Atherton were defending like one would expect with the prize money this competition brings. Bacup even won a free kick around twenty five yards out goalkeeper Ashley Timms stepped up to take, I am not sure why other than to try to rectify his error of judgement on their goal but sadly the free kick was struck as wildly as his hands were flapping when LR scored the only goal of this cup tie.

Team: Ashley Timms, Paul Waine, Aidrian Bellamy, Nick Hudson, Warren Collier, Matthew Hampson, Jamie Rother, Martin Cosgrave (Dominic Slavin) Moises, (Arran Spencer) Steve Smith

Subs Not Used: Josh Lynch, Braima Djassi, Scott Taylor, Jordon Mcbride

Goals:

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