Second-half comeback falls just short

BACUP BOROUGH UNDER 21A STOCKPORT CNT............ 6 BACUP BOROUGH ........... 5 AFTER another humdinger of a game by the Borough almost saw the ultimate of comeback performed from the away side.

Stockport can boast a full time schooled academy team with fantastic facilities and set up, and the gulf was evident very early in the game.

Bacup were second to every ball and panic was at the heart of the defence which had conceded three goals in the opening 15 minutes.

Bacup were set up to be hard to break down and counter attack. Eventually the plan was put into motion as a swift counter attack saw the ball land at the feet of forward Tom Haigh who drove into the box from out wide and drilled the ball past the keeper at his near post.

But 3-1 soon became 4-1 as again individual errors cost Bacup and Lee Barrett made a change on 35 minutes replacing Greenwood with Nobab to offer more pace in the middle of defence.

Stockport added a fifth before half time and a despondent Borough trudged off the pitch, 5-1 down at the interval.

The second half began with Borough on the front foot and an excellent ball in from the left from Ryan Siddle saw Haigh claim his second with a bullet header at the far post 5-2.

That soon became 5-3 as sub Dom Boardman converted a free kick from 25 yards out.

On 60 minutes a now rampant Bacup scored again with a long range curling left foot shot from Boardman made it 5-4. Boardman was now bossing the midfield with partner Luke Smpson who again was showing great composure.

The unthinkable happened with Simpson exchanging passes with Kyle Siddle on the edge of the area who slid the ball under the keeper for 5-5 in the 70th minute.

Bacup poured forward looking for a winner which sadly became their own undoing as Stockport hit them on the break to make it 6-5 on 80 minutes.

Stockport stood firm an hung on to take all the points in what was a thrilling game.

“Considering the opposition was faced I cannot speak highly enough of the lads,” said Barrett. “I told them at half time to go out and express themselves and relax and enjoy it.

“I certainly did not see that coming but what a great game.”