Bacup Borough for the second Saturday running were guilty of their own downfall, after taking a 3-1 lead into the final periods of this game with the three points looking safe, Bacup succumbed to a late bombardment from which well into stoppage time defender Mark Taylor inexplicably handled the ball when with a little more composure he could have easily have cleared, left the official with no alternative but to award the visitors with a penalty which was converted and with it one point gained for the visitors and two points dropped for the Borough.

Bacup started this game without the services of Captain Davey Luker and Stuart Nixon injured and the suspended Adam Turner but did welcome back for his first start of the season Gareth Wager.

Bacup started well but it was the visitors that took the lead, this came when Wager opted to play the ball back to his keeper that was going out of play, talk about players not being switched on? The Bacup keeper dived making contact with the ball which the referee awarded an indirect free kick from which the visitors took the lead.

At the opposite end Bacup won themselves a free kick and this time they equalised thanks to a well taken kick by Daniel Cocks.

Bacup whilst getting back into the game almost let Alsager back in when first of all Keeper Garmen made an excellent save from a shot that was heading inside his near post and then through bad defending when the Bacup centre back did allow his marker to run in behind him but luckily his shot was as bad as the defending.

The game was all square at the break with the second half all to play for, Manager Brent Peters made his first change at the start of the half bringing on Matthew Hampson for the in effective Martin Cosgrave, Bacup got themselves back in front following a good build up down the right, when the ball found Kingsley Williams at the edge of the box his well struck shot although striking a player on its way into the top corner of the net did put his side in front.

Alsager won a free kick at the edge of the Bacup Penalty area which was saved, from this Bacup broke with pace from which Daniel Cocks got onto the ball before being brought down in the penalty area from which the official pointed to the spot, up stepped Adrian Bellamy to convert well.

Bacup with a two goal cushion just needed to keep their composure, be organised and the points would be in the bag, however that is easier said than done, Alsager desperate to get something out of the game gambled men forward which for some inexplicable reason the Bacup rear guard struggled to cope with and with it lost their discipline in terms of organisation, it was no surprise when Gareth Wager was left flat footed from one simple side move of the ball before finishing past what must have been an unsighted keeper as there was nothing at all on the shot, this goal gave the visitors belief that despite time almost being up they would claw something back from the game, this they did well into stoppage time when Mark Taylor failed to be composed in his decision making and ridiculously pushed the ball away with his hands to gift Alsager with a penalty which they converted to take away with them one point from a game that once again Bacup only have themselves to blame for not taking all three points.

All manager Brent Peters said at the end of the game was “The Back five as a defensive unit were a shambles, no thought, no leadership, no composure, just rank bad defending, Peters stormed “ but rest assured it will be sorted, I don’t know how long it will take me as I am going on the phone now, but it will be sorted because I will not put up with them letting the rest of the lads down higher up the pitch that have worked hard to get us that lead which should easily have been protected“

Team: Daniel Garman, Adrian Bellamy (Matthew Kemp), Gareth Wager, Marc Taylor, Arran Walters, Martin Cosgrave (Matthew Hampson), Lee Oldham, Kingsley Williams, Daniel Cocks, Tommy Turner, Haydn Paul (Ed Williams )

Subs Not Used: Josh Lynch, Matthew Wrigley

Goals: Daniel Cocks 20, Kingsly Williams 51, Adrain Bellamy 56 pen

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