It’s Bank Holiday blues for Borough
DISAPPOINTMENT for Bacup Borough during the Bank Holiday period with two away games and two defeats both ending in a 2-1 scoreline.
On Saturday they travelled to Holker Old Boys in Barrow-In-Furness looking to continue from their impressive previous week’s display against top of league AFC Blackpool.
Several changes were made to the lineup due to suspensions and unavailability of players, but Boro did start the game relatively well and were able to put together a range of passes with balls into the final third for Toby Wright and Lewis Byrne.
On a pitch with a slight gradient and Holker playing downhill in the first half, they began to find players in space and create opportunities which found Boro having to do a lot of running.
The first goal of the game came for the home side. Daniel Warren tried to clear the ball out of defence but his clearance ricocheted against a Holker player who did seem to charge the ball down with his hand, the referee waved play on and Harry Turner in goal made an excellent one on one save. Unfortunately the Holker forward was still able to collect the ball and play it back into the six yard box where Holker’s Gareth Smith was on hand to smash the ball home.
Brent Peters was enraged on the sidelines because several of his players stopped running to remonstrate with the referee instead of getting themselves back into a defensive position.
In the second half Boro started lively with good balls into wide areas for Byrne and Hancock, and it would be a long pass from Warren that would get Bacup back in the game.
A seventy yard pass into the path of Byrne was chested down beautifully before being calmly placed into the bottom corner.
Just as Boro appeared to be taking control, Holker got their second of the afternoon.
Sloppy play in midfield saw the ball fall to Nathan Reid on the left. He managed to create a bit of trickey which caused Boro defender Ross Mallinson to be in a horizontal position on the grass before smashing the ball right footed into Turner’s bottom right corner giving him no chance.
Disappointment all round from players, management and the supporters who made the 200 mile round trip.
Just 48 hours later Boro were on their travels again, this time a Bank Holiday Monday trip to Golcar United. Another challenging encounter against a side unbeaten in the league so far this season.
Peters made changes with Callum Hewitt rested and making way for the return of Kyle Siddle from suspension, and he was joined in midfield by his brother Ryan Siddle.
Boro played some attractive football in a game that saw a bumper crowd of 428. Good chances for Toby Wright and Lewis Byrne caused headaches for a strong Golcar defence.
In an evenly fought contest the home side took the lead from a free kick which went through a crowd of players before going in off Turner’s right hand post.
In the second half Boro were much more assertive, and a free kick on the left was played into the box where Ross Mallinson was on hand to side foot hom. At this point the 400 plus Golcar supporters went silent, knowing that their unbeaten run of games was in danger.
Boro continued to probe into the Golcar half with good running from new signing Byrne, but on 87 minutes all of that positive play would be unravelled by a bad decision from the referee. A ball over the top fell into the feet of Ashley Flynn, and as he pushed the ball around Mallinson the experienced Flynn barged into the Boro defender making it seem like an infringement had taken place. The referee bought the ticket and pointed to the spot.
From the resulting penalty Flynn stepped up and coolly slotted beyond Turner who did guess the right way but unfortunately the pace of the ball was too much.
Boro had played two very talented sides in Holker and Golcar, and because of the expectation that the Boro players had placed on themselves believed they should’ve come away with something from the games.
It’s been said before, but Peters’ young squad is certainly playing attractive football. The attendances have improved by 40% at home games and from what I’ve seen over these past few weeks since the season began this group of players could be challenging for honours come what May.
The average age of this team is twenty one. It’s everything you expect from players of that age. Energy, passion, desire and fearlessness. Commitment is never in question.
And once those small errors are erased from their game they will become increasingly difficult to beat.
Boro play AFC Darwen on Saturday at the Brian Boys Stadium, kick off 3pm.