Bacup Borough recorded an excellent away victory against second placed Winsford, this victory was fully deserved as Bacup looked solid all over the pitch reducing their hosts to minimum opportunities in Contrast to Bacup who on another afternoon could, and should have added to their thirty eighth minute Davey Luker header.

Goal scoring opportunities were few in the opening stages for either side in the Cheshire sunshine but it was Winsfords Daley Woods who did get the first opportunity following a quick Winsford counter attack following Bacup giving the ball away high up the pitch, Winsford broke down Bacup Borough’s left through Steven Warburton who put in a good cross, Woods had pulled off Bacup defender Adam Turner but whilst attempting to head past the Bacup keepers reach the ball went wide of the post, in the first half this was Winsfords only effort on goal, whilst at the opposite end up until Bacup did break the deadlock chances were at a premium with both sides working hard to contain each other.

Bacup opened the scoring on thirty eight minutes, this goal came when Daniel Cocks collected the ball from deep before taking on several Winsford players before being brought down some twenty yards away from goal, the Referee awarded Bacup a free kick which Cocks himself did take, well weighted and well delivered kick to the far post where his captain Davey Luker got himself in amongst defenders to head the ball into the net, almost on half time Bacup really should have doubled their advantage this was following good approach play involving Davey Luker and Kingsley Williams who put in a defence splitting pass for Haydn Paul who was now in a situation where one would back the young striker to score, unfortunately that slight missing sharpness was the difference in the score line remaining the single goal Bacup lead at the break as an excellent opportunity did come and went.

Bacup started the second half with no changes made at the break and whilst the visitors had possession from the start this was squandered with a sloppy pass from the Bacup Captain that did put his side on the back foot defending, then an over enthusiastic attempt to win the ball by Lee Oldham did result in Winsford winning a free kick from which the Bacup defence dealt with.

Bacup Borough mounted a good attack down their right when Adrian Bellamy did make a powerful run before playing the ball inside for his Captain Davey Luker, Davey moved across to the left with the ball at his feet before shooting to his right in an effort to wrong foot the Winsford keeper but his effort was only just wide of the Winsford upright.

The best chance and really the only chance for Winsford in the second half was when Matthew Ward ran off Davey Luker before getting in a good shot which Bacup Borough’s Max Johnson in goal found himself tipping the ball over the bar for a Winsford corner from which Bacup defended well.

On fifty four minutes Arran Walters was introduced replacing Tommy Turner and on Sixty five minutes on came Martin Cosgrave replacing Daniel Cocks, Martin Cosgrave was soon in on the action and really should have increased his sides lead when the ball was played high and long in behind the Winsford defence, with the ball dropping and the keeper advancing, Cosgrave attempted a chip over the keeper which went agonisingly over the bar, then Arran Walters did well attacking the space before driving the ball across the face of the goal from which both Haydn Paul or Martin Cosgrave should have scored at the far post.

With full time fast approaching Bacup found themselves in another good position to have increased their slender lead when Arran Walters did exceptionally well beating men before driving into the box before playing the ball to Haydn Paul who had got across the front of his man well but agonisingly his effort was the wrong side of the Winsford upright, in the end the only goal of the game which came Bacup Borough’s way proved enough for the visitors to earn a well deserved three points.

Following the match I spoke to a relaxed Bacup Borough Manager Brent Peters who had this to say “ Both myself and Andy Hill are highly delighted with what we have seen today, not just because we have come away from home and won but by the manner in which we did win, last season we were at pains to get across how good teams once in front in a game are disciplined all over in order to see the game out something that in the past as let us down, it certainly was not the case in this game, every single player right down to the substitutes did play a massive part for the team in being disciplined within our team shape, they made the correct decisions late on in order to wind the clock down in order to take the sting out of the game, these lads in the main are young boys but today by the way they all conducted themselves in order to ensure the three points, they became men, Peters added “ Winsford are a good side and they were at home but they have only posed a threat onto our goal apart from corners on three occasions and even their corners which they obviously have worked on , the fact we had done our home work that area also did not pose us with a problem, I agree we also had limited chances in the first half but in all honesty we should have had three more goals in the second half, on another day we will, however I am not being greedy one gets the same three points for one goal and a win as for three goals and a win, this was a Polished Professional Bacup Team Performance to which I am proud of the squad in its entirety, to go away from home against a team that have started the season well, to not concede and to be in control as we were is pleasing indeed “

Team: Max Johnson, Gareth Wager, Adam Turner, Adrian Bellamy, Davey Luker, Lee Oldham, Matthew Hampson (Josh Lynch), Kingsley Williams, Daniel Cocks (Martin Cosgrave), Tommy Turner (Arran Walters), Haydn Paul

Subs Not Used: Ed Williams, Marc Taylor

Goals: Davey Luker 39

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