Fixtures backlog hard for Borough

JACK ADCOCK BACUP Borough manager Brent Peters admits the rigours of non-league football have taken their toll on his side already this season.

Borough were due to take on Ashton Athletic in the Macron Cup on Thursday before going to Cheadle Town on Saturday. And Peters said it’s difficult building momentum.

“We haven’t been playing on a regular basis due to the weather and being the third highest ground in the country, we’re always playing catch up. Because we’re behind in our fixtures, I think it’s fair to say our season hasn’t really got going in terms of our consistency.”

When they have managed to get games on, like many non-league teams, Bacup have struggled with players missing and injuries.

“It’s nothing like the Premier League. In non-league football your squad’s can vary from week to week because that’s what we are, non-league.

“You’ve games where we will be at full strength and have depths of quality, and others where we’re on bare minimum because lads can’t get off work or lads have injuries and suspensions.”

Bacup are also suffering from a build up of fixtures, after postponements earlier on in the year, but Peters won’t let it affect his team’s performances.

“We played against AFC Blackpool on an absolute quagmire of a pitch. Then less than 48 hours later we were back again with a game against St Helens. We had almost eight first team players missing. You’d like to have a settled side but it never works that way.”