Bacup Borough were in seventh heaven despite the visitors taking a thirteenth minute lead, Adrian Bellamy and Tommy Turner both hit hatricks with Lee Oldham also getting in on the goal scoring spree.

Bacup started brightly and were in control from the off but did fall behind to a thirteenth minute goal which came from first of all Marc Taylor not heading the ball away, Taylor allowed the ball to drop but then he got himself in a right mess by getting dispossessed, his marker got to the bye line before delivering the ball across for James Crayton to fire into the Bacup net completely unopposed.

If that goal was bad defending by an individually, St Helens almost got a second goal through bad defending as a unit through playing offside but getting it totally wrong but Bacup keeper Matthew Wrigley was quick to react to produce a good timely block, this save could very well have been the turning point in the game, from this Bacup marched on playing some really good football at times and with it some excellent finishes.

Bacup got themselves back on level terms when Daniel Cocks did well down the right flank before cutting inside and picking out Adrian Bellamy to direct the ball over the St Helens goal line.

Daniel Cocks was unlucky himself not to have scored when with a dipping ball he tried to lift the ball over the keeper who was slightly off his line but the ball went inches over, then a great ball in from the left from Josh Greenhalgh saw Haydn Paul be rather unlucky in not connecting with the ball which had he, would have been a certain goal.

The new Striking partnership of Haydn Paul and Tommy Turner showed glimpses of the chemistry and understanding for each other when Haydn Paul found Tommy Turner who was forced wide but with Matthew Hampson having peeled off at the far post Turner chipped the ball in the direction of Hampson but the Saints keeper got the faintest of touches ,what then should have been a corner became a goal kick as the Assistant surprisingly saw it differently.

On forty three minutes Bacup were in front, this came when Lee Oldham closed and dispossessed the Saint Helens player before playing in Hayden Paul who was advancing towards the near post, with his head up he spotted his strike partner Tommy Turner and unselfishly did pick him out for a simple tap in goal, giving Bacup a two-one half time lead.

Bacup Borough’s third goal came on fifty three minutes from the penalty spot but what clever build up play between Adrian Bellamy and Daniel Cocks did lead to the stone wall penalty being given, with the ball having been played to Cocks, Adrian Bellamy went around on the outside of the Bacup player which created the space for Cocks to drive into, this then resulted in Cocks being brought down in the box and a penalty awarded, up stepped Adrian Bellamy with a well taken spot kick.

Despite Bacup having taken a three- one lead the home side almost gifted St Helens a way back in when defender Laquan Esdaile facing his own goal and trying to hold off the advancing attacker who was chasing a ball over the top, keeper Wrigley should have come and taken all before him, he started to do but hesitated, this proved almost costly but good recovery was made and the ball was cleared off the goal line.

Minutes later Lee Oldham failed to get a clean header on the ball which also caught the Bacup back line out thus allowing the St Helens player in on goal but Wrigley was again quickly off his line.

On fifty nine minutes Bacup worked their fourth goal when once again Daniel Cocks played a major part in, Cocks too his defender on, attacked the space, got his head up, saw Tommy Turner pulling off at the far post to then place him a well executed pass that Turner returned the compliment with an equally good finish.

On sixty two minutes Turner became provider when he found himself in a more wide position than his usual central position, with Lee Oldham making a good run Turner played the ball into a good area for Oldham to head Borough’s fifth goal.

Further chances came Borough’s way the St Helens keeper pulled off a good save from an Esdaile header, then on seventy minutes following another corner, Lee Oldham worked half a yard in the penalty area for him to be brought down, again a stone wall penalty and again Adrian Bellamy produced another excellent finish from the penalty spot.

Further goals should have come Bacup Borough’s way when first of all Matthew Hampson was through and with any one of four Bacup players to pick out for a tap in he opted to go for goal himself, wrong option, then Daniel Cocks had done well and he should have finished but he took the wrong option, however on eighty eight minutes Laquan Esdaile picked out Tommy Turner who completed his hatrick, however such was Bacup breezing through the second half at times in the final five minutes one can only describe as lazy defending when twice in succession St Helens played the ball in behind Adrian Bellamy and twice Matthew Wrigley was brought into action by having to make good saves, this situation should not happen whether the score line is nil-nil or 7-1, players should continue to do the right things.

Following the game the Bacup Manager Brent Peters endorsed my comments when he had this to say;

"Players should continue to do the right things and keep their discipline within team shape at all times irrespective of the score line, when a team score five and six or seven it is easy to start showboating or relaxing but that is an extremely dangerous game to play as goals change games and from this the whole course of the game and score line can change,

Peters then went on by saying “ in contrast to our last game our ball retention was really good, our midfield of Matthew Hampson, Kingsley Williams, Lee Oldham and Daniel Cocks did stamp their authority in breaking the game up and also used the ball intelligently in creating the many opportunities we had, I thought Daniel Cocks was exceptional, both myself and Andy Hill have been excited by what could be developed in becoming a formidable partnership in Haydn Paul and Tommy Turner and today we had glimpses of that chemistry coming together, whilst Haydn did not score he certainly worked hard and worked hard in finding his strike partner Tommy Turner who took his goals well and Tommy will benefit confidence wise from that hatrick having had a frustrating season at previous clubs this season, this for varying reasons,

Peters added “ it as been difficult for our back four due to having different personal in there due to our injury situation, however despite the fact that unlike our regular back four who were worked on and from this doing well, these lads as a unit have not had that luxury hence why at times there have been frustrating issues, however young Laquan Esdaile is growing in stature by the game and looks every bit of being potentially a very accomplished defender.

I thought Adrian Bellamy was different class and took his spot kicks really well, although he almost let his performance down with what happened in the last few minutes through lazy defending, keeper Matthew Wrigley showed that he has got the makings of being an excellent keeper with some fine tuning, Marc Taylor let himself down by not just heading the ball away, instead tried to bring the ball down then got caught which resulted in St Helens taking the lead, once he got to grips with number one priority his defensive duties he slowly got to grips with the game but the way he started a stronger more clinical side than Saint Helens would have done the damage before we would have had chance to get a foot hold in the game, and young Josh Greenhalgh who has been thrust into our defence having been at university and not afforded the luxury of working with the rest of the lads did ok,

Peters concluded “ we are still missing key players with injury but on today’s showing we missed no one, it as been a lucrative week taking six points out of our two games in three days”

Team: Matthew Wrigley, Adrian Bellamy, Marc Taylor, Laquan Esdaile, Josh Greenhalgh, Daniel Cocks (Martin Peters) Matthew Hampson, Lee Oldham (Martin Cosgrave), Kingsley Williams, Haydn Paul (Jacinto Amilcar), Tommy Turner

Subs Not Used: Paul Horridge (GK)

Goals: Adrian Bellamy 14, 53p 70p, Tommy Turner 42, 59, 88, Lee Oldham 62

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