Vodkat North West Counties Premier League

Saturday 1st May 2010

The inevitable was bound to happen sooner or later with the amount of back to back games Bacup were faced with, this was their twelfth match in twenty eight days, for the first time Manager Brent Peters was faced with player availability problems due to work commitments and injuries much to the point that with only thirteen players available and two of those were goalkeepers the Manager himself was named as a substitute.

Whilst eleven players took to the pitch that included seven strikers some of which had to play in unfamiliar positions, with the sun shining and the pitch looking in excellent condition more reminiscent to playing conditions once the pre season games come around in July, the first half was reminiscent of just that- a pre season game, Silsden were a young well organised side that did work hard, this apart had Bacup have played with the high tempo they did in the second half there would not have been the disappointing score line they got.

The Silsden opening goal on the half hour mark did typify the way Bacup approached the game, Silsden had the ball at their goal keepers right corner of the eighteen yard box, several Bacup players were on hand to defend the situation however it looked like not one player did take responsibility, this in itself did not seem like it would lead to any danger, up until Keeper Paul Horridge made a decision to race off his line to get involved but failed to deal with the situation, with the keeper now out of his goal and the Bacup defenders not clearing the ball Silsden’s Robert Barraclough poked the ball goal bound that was pea rolling towards the far post that did literally slowly creep over the goal line.

Bacup almost did get back on level terms when Chris Ogunyode was fouled at the edge of the Silsden box, the free kick was awarded and Chris Ogunyode with quality bent the ball around the wall in an attempt to curl the ball into their keepers left hand post but the ball just went inches wide of the post.

At the half time break the Bacup players must have got a wake up call, they came out much more determined, started to play with an high tempo that Silsden were struggling to cope with in the early stages, from the kick off the scores should have been level when Fabio Abreu found Chris Ogunyode who put Brian Herbert through, his scuffed effort heading well wide was met by Martin Cosgrave who shot back across the Silsden keeper but his effort went wide of the post.

Further chances came when Phil Prescott delivered an excellent ball into the box which Brian Herbert connected with bringing an excellent save from the Silsden keeper for a corner which was defended, then Phil Prescott and Martin Cosgrave combined well before the ball found Lourenco, his goal bound effort was blocked.

On sixty five minutes Martin Cosgrave made a good run but was impeded, the referee played the advantage, it was questionable as to whether there were an advantage as the Bacup Player immediately went into a challenge where he did come out second best, Sisden broke and by doing so broke the Bacup hearts when Daniel Horiarty struck a sweet shot from twenty five yards out which nestled into the net past a full stretch Paul Horridge in the Bacup Goal.

Bacup got from this game everything their laid back approach at the start of the game deserved- nothing.

Bacup Manager Brent Peters blasted

Supporters and the likes are trying to feel sorry for the lads due to the amount of games they have played, sorry I do not bye into that, had these players have starting the game with the same tempo as they did in the second half believe me we would never have lost, Peters retorted “ in the first half Silsden would never have scored but when defenders fail to deal with situations and then you get your keeper flying in but neither catches fish or mends their nets, in other words does nothing, he is then not set thus allowing the weakest effort ever to go past him, in my opinion if he waits to see what develops that goal does not come, or if he does make the decision to go, by hook or crook he makes the ball his, granted it was not wholly his fault but never the less when mistakes are made one does not expect every player involved to make those mistakes or bad decisions which is what did happen,

Peters went on to say “ in the second half we did play a lot more fluent and with a tempo but when you have a player who by the way does have quality in abundance but an attitude that does leave a lot to be desired at times to the point that he thinks he his playing in an exhibition game by constantly trying and succeeding to nutmeg players and then laughing at his opponent in the bargain but then his final ball he gives the ball back to the opposition, the only player in my mind should be laughed at is my player for cheaply giving the ball away, this on a day there was a celebrity sport relief day at Old Trafford perhaps he should have been there in an environment where a result does not matter, he was certainly of no use to either myself or his team mates,

Peters finished by saying “we had seven so called strikers on that pitch today, granted some had to play in unfamiliar positions, never the less how much of an embarrassment for those strikers when their keeper leaving the pitch passes the comment of it as taken him twelve matches to not concede one goal, my lads should hang their head in shame, this game is about attitude and application, there was only one player on the Bacup side today who’s attitude and application was spot on and that was their Captain Davey Luker, the rest of the lads shafted him big time by their lack of attitude and application, finally every credit to the young Silsden side they fully deserved everything if only for effort “

Team: Paul Horridge, Phil Prescott, Davey Luker, Barry Massey, Adrian Bellamy, Martin Cosgrave, Bryan Herbert, Falco Lourenco, Lance Ogunyode, Chris Ogunyode, Fabio Abreu (Arran Spencer)

Subs Not Used: Steve Dryden, Brent Peters

Goals:

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