This was a game featuring two sides with contrasting fortunes this season, whilst Bacup are struggling at the wrong end of the table, Trafford are flying high at the summit, however on the day their was nothing seperating the two sides other than a well taken goal by Ahern Will on twenty three minutes which granted the visitors the points.
During the entire ninety minutes goal scoring opportunities for both sides were very few with both sides working hard in cancelling each other out but Trafford always looked like given any glimse of an opportunity, they would have more of a cutting edge upfront than their hosts, this proved to be the case when on twenty three minutes with Bacup holding a solid back line Captain Ian Hughes pushed out in an attempt to win the loose ball, the advancing Trafford player got there before Hughes, he then put the ball into the space Hughes had created which allowed the runner from midfield Ahern Will to strike an excellent goal into the roof of the net.
The home side tried hard to get a goal back and they were unlucky with a Craig Chadwick shot that was blocked, New signing Roy Radcliffe played a quality ball to the far post for Stevens whos shot was inches wide of the post and Davey Luker was unlucky following a free kick.
At half time Lady Luck deserted the Borough once again , with an already depleted squad due to injuries, Davey Luker had to be replaced still having the effects of a Stomach Bug and also New Signing Roy Radcliffe with a suspected broken wrist, Ian Barker and Adam Lucas were brought into the action.
With Bacup forced into these changes and a change of formation Trafford did take early advantage by putting the Borough defence under pressure, from this Trafford struck the bar from which the rebound caught Bacups Craig Chadwick flat footed and allowed the Trafford player to shoot just wide, this was the only real chance the visitors did create in the second half, however yet another blow for Bacup was the loss of Captain Ian Hughes with an Hamstring problem, Chris Greenwood was then brought into the action and another change of formation which from this Bacup had quite a bit of possession but failed to find that cutting edge to create themselves a deserved equiliser, it was the visitors that were glad to hear the final whistle as that twenty third minute goal proved decissive.
Manager Brent Peters Comments" Selecting a football team is about numbers and about getting the balance right, whilst we just about did have the numbers, it was impossible to get the balance right with having more of a muchness of midfield players without having at my dispossal the calibre of player that can make those creative runs with a creative trick here and there which can get in behind teams and create the opportunities which could lead to goals, taking this into account we set our stall out not to get beat and hope that something may fall for us in the box and maybe we take the game, I stated before the game that the back line must stay tight as a unit and the central midfield players would be the key to this game, for the majority of the game everything went to plan but in my opinion I dont believe my centre back should have made an effort to come out of the back line to win the ball unless he was absolutely sure it was his to win, the pace of the oncoming player gave him the advantage and he put the ball into the hole created, then our midfield allow the runner to go unapossed into that hole to strike a very good goal, obviously I am not happy with that, however take that away I have got to say the lads worked hard everywhere and yet again showed very good work ethics and fighting spirit and some very good interpassing moves, if ever one can be happy in defeat, I was, my reason being we were are all hungry and fighting for the cause, to be fair not getting anything from this game was a total injustice, their coach and my former player Tony Coyne thought they were the better side, I will refraise that, Trafford were at full strength and to be fair they looked dangerous if allowed to be, Bacup were not at full strength and worked hard to minimise any danger, on reflection of this there was nothing between the two sides
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