For the second successive season Bacup Borough have prolonged the promotion celebrations for Salford City, three points for the visitors would have secured Runners up spot in the Vodkat First Division, now it will take one point from their remaining two games, whilst Bacup entertain Newcastle their nearest and only rivals that could pip them on Monday kick off 7-45pm.
With Bacup's own First Division status not mathematical certain going into this game, Salford City did find themselves for long periods on the offensive, this despite it being Bacup's third game in the space of six days, several opportunities were created by the home side whilst at the opposite end of the pitch the Bacup keeper Phil Melville was a mere spectator, First of all Steve Stott was fouled which resulted in a free kick some twenty five yards out, the ball was curled in and Lee Stott 's header was inches wide of the post, then Tony Carroll played a clever ball in behind the Salford defence for Bryan Herbert who’s shot brought a good save and a corner from Campbell in the Salford goal, from the corner Stuart Shepherd shot just over the cross bar, Bacup's Bryan Herbert was causing the Salford defence all sorts of problems especially when he dispossessed Andy Pendlebury to put Tony Carroll in on goal, with Campbell advancing off his line, Carroll was just about to pick his spot until the ball struck a divot which ended with his shot agonizingly flying over the cross bar.
Thirty minutes into the game Bacup did get their break thorough their play deserved, with two strikers coming back onside from an off side position, Salford were pushing out but a clever ball in behind and a clever deep run from midfield player Steve Stott saw him through onto goal to finish well past Campbell. At this point Salford had not once caused the home side any problems, this was due to the hunger and the desire that the entire Bacup team were showing, if Salford were going to score, it was going to have to have been something special, well on thirty eight minutes, that something special did come, Bacup had just seen an attack break down when Salford's lively Latham Forrester knocked the ball past Inderjeet Adgula before striking the ball from thirty yards out that did rocket into the corner of the net giving Melville no chance.
The goal was a well struck good goal but this was never going to deter a determined Bacup side that did come right back at their opponents with a goal three minutes before the break which was ruled out when the Referee ruled Slaven did handle the ball prior to striking past Campbell.
For the entire first half Bacup keeper Melville had been a spectator, however his team had him to thank at the start of the second half when he did make a top goal line save to prevent Salford taking the lead, the longer the second half went on the more Bacup's pace was slowing down, not surprising having had three games in the week but this did allow Salford to start to get into the game more than they had, Steve Stott who along with John Borg had covered every blade of grass on the pitch and Stott who not surprisingly had blown up was replaced by Davey Luker just back from injury, on seventy five minutes Bacup's hearts were broken when Salford for the first time in the game had taken the lead, this came from a ball that was knocked long, with plenty of defenders back to deal with the situation keeper Phil Melville took command to rush out of his goal to elevate any danger, underestimating the advancing Brackenbridge who's job was made easy by the keepers decision, Brackenbridge shot where Melville had advanced from, although Matthew Cross almost did get to the ball before it did cross the line, the shot was enough to put Salford in front.
In a desperate attempt to get something out of this game Bacup Manager Brent Peters introduced Striker Jon Stephenson replacing Lee Stott, he then opted for a 4-2-4 formation, typical of the majority of the game Bacup were forcing Salford back onto the defensive forcing a range of corners, it was from one of these corners on eighty five minutes that Bacup got back onto level terms, Tony Carroll shaped the ball into the near post where Dominic Slaven was on hand to head past Campbell much to the delight of the home faithful to give Bacup a fully deserved point and once again leave Salford City with a Promotion Headache for the second successive season.
Manager Brent Peters Comments " The majority of my team have now played three games in six days, due to the importance of our first division survival every each player has dug in to produce a solid team performance over these three games, this is really pleasing, ok we lost against Colne but let us not loose the sight of the fact that Colne, St Helens and Salford City we were by far the better side, in fact I would say this was the case in the majority of games we have played this season, Colne mugged us on Monday, St Helens capitalized on two mistakes by us, and Salford City( away) mugged us, today Salford knew that they were going to be in for a tough time at Bacup and that proved to be correct, I must give credit where it is due, whilst the season on the whole has not been good, some of the players in this squad now, have not been with us since the start of the season, had they have been I am sure we would have been celebrating Silverware, these lads are winners and they wont be knocked down, I am pleased with the effort, dedication and the will to succeed they are showing although we are not mathematically safe yet, Salford a side which have been challenging all season were second best to us all over the park in both league games we have played them, it took a terrific strike from Salford's Forrester and a bad decision from my keeper that did get them a valuable point. A couple of prolific strikers for Bacup Borough with this bunch of players will, I am sure bode well for the future and ensure there is no repeat of the blip we have encountered this season "
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