Bizarre calls no bearing on outcome

BACUP Borough manager Brent Peters felt the referee’s decision to send off two of his players in the defeat to Lower Breck was bizarre – but admits his side still should have taken more from the match.

Bacup were beaten 3-1 away from home in the match, and while he took some positives from the performance, he was unsure why they didn’t manage to get a result.

“As bizarre as the referee’s decision to send off Adrian Bellamy and Darcy O’Connor was, those sending offs had no bearing whatsoever on the reason as to why we have come away from Liverpool with nothing,” he said.

“To be fair to the team we really did play well on a 4G surface that suits the way we play down to the ground.

“We had a good shape about us and really never looked in any real threat, even when we went down to ten men and then nine men, the lads worked extremely hard ensuring the two player disadvantage did not incur further damage than we had in the goals we had conceded.

“It is fine margins. Both teams worked hard, both teams did give it a good go, and it really looked like it would be another draw between us.

“For their opening goal we should have put pressure on the ball rather than offering their player enough space to get an excellent strike off, and whist we got ourselves back on level terms with a well taken Michael Gervin goal, their second and third goals should never be happening.

“Our goalkeeper in the Vase game did come under some criticism but in this instance Lewis Monahan pulled off a really good save only to be let down by his defenders that seemed flat footed and frozen like rabbits in the headlights.

“We had enough bodies there and if they stay alive, the situation is defended, but they didn’t and let their goalkeeper down who had done really well.

“The lads played well and really did not deserve the outcome, and whilst the decisions of the referee in the two sending offs in this game did not cost us, I can’t say the same going forward.

“For three matches we will lose our captain and probably two matches we will lose Darcy O’Connor.”

Bacup are back in action on Saturday, hosting Cleator Moor Celtic at the Brian Boys West View Stadium.