Injury-ravaged Boro keep contenders out

NW COUNTIES DIVISION ONE BACUP 0 WHITCHURCH ALPORT 0 SHELDAN KEAY BACUP Borough produced an extremely impressive performance to hold promotion contenders Whitchurch Alport to a goalless draw at the Brian Boys West View Stadium.

Brent Peters’ young side was riddled with absentees in the game, mainly due to injury, so the team did well to earn a point.

It was a difficult start to the game for Bacup, as on 11 minutes another injury setback came when Rio Wilson Heys was chasing down a high ball and crashed into the Whitchurch goalkeeper Daniel Read, meaning he had to be replaced by inexperienced Peter Genicott.

Despite the switch, nothing changed in Bacup’s approach to the game, and their hard work meant they got themselves to half-time with the scores still level.

It was not long into the second half when the Whitchurch stopper had to make his first serious save to stop Bacup taking the lead through Ben Boyne.

At the opposite end it was a different story, as Whitchurch had plenty of the ball but they were not getting any joy from the well marshalled Bacup defence of Jordan Rutter, James Constantine, Connor Porter and captain Adrian Bellamy.

Bacup thought they may have had a penalty when Benjamin Rhodes chased down a looped pass and collided with goalkeeper Read, but the referee was having none of it. ●● Adrian Bellamy

With the game reaching its climax, Whitchurch sent more men forward in search of a breakthrough, and they thought they had it right at the death but an unbelievable reaction save from Bacup’s Louis McCarthy stopped the visitors from getting the winner.

This game was as good a game you will see without goals, and featured two teams at opposite ends of the table working tirelessly for differing reasons.