Cup shoot-out boost for Bacup
AFTER the disappointment of missing out on the North West Counties League Division one playoffs, Bacup Borough were able to give their supporters something to cheer with a penalty shootout win over Ilkley Town in the second round of the Macron Cup.
Bradley Hancock was rested for debutant Lewis Hewett and Aidan Hussey slotted into the midfield with Ryan Siddle suspended having picked up ten yellow cards during the course of the season.
Borough set off positively with good link up between the midfield and forwards, and were creating early pressure for their opponents from Wharfedale.
On 19 minutes captain Michael Gervin had an excellent free kick saved by Ilkley’s goalkeeper George Gregson that was tipped around his left hand post.
Borough continued to probe with Joey Fallon going close on several occasions from set pieces. Fallon has been a consistent tower of strength at the back throughout this campaign making forty one appearances.
Borough pressure eventually paid off, and on 32 minutes Toby Wright gave the home side the lead with a free kick from the edge of the box. Both Gervin and Wright stood over the ball but it was Wright who struck the set-piece hard and low through the wall and beyond Gregson into his bottom left hand corner.
In the second half, Borough started in the same vein as they did the first with good movement down the wings.
Josh Walne was operating down the left with young Lewis Hewitt down the right, and to say it was Hewitt’s first game for the first team he was showing excellent composure and assertiveness on the ball.
On 46 minutes it was Hewitt’s older brother Callum who doubled Borough’s lead with a low strike from the edge of the penalty area.
It was a good use of the ball through the middle with Aidan Hussey passing into the feet of Hewitt who was situated on the right hand side.
And as the ball came across his body he drove a powerful precise shot past Gregson and into the goalkeeper’s bottom right giving him no chance.
Excellent technique from a player who will certainly be in the running for Borough player of season.
At this point Borough looked like they’d be taking their place in the next round but the Yorkshire visitors had other ideas.
On 49 minutes and out of nowhere Ilkley Town’s James Hughes ran onto a ball from midfield and with confidence managed to drive his shot clinically beyond the advancing Harry Turner. A fantastic finish which seemed to stun the supporters inside West View.
Four minutes later the pressure intensified for Borough when that man again, Hughes found himself a bit of space on the edge of the box, and without a second of hesitation struck another clean shot through a crowd of players and into the corner giving Turner no chance whatsoever.
Borough were able to regroup after conceding two goals against the run of play and on 74 minutes Joey Fallon got his side back in front with what looked like a scissor kick through a crowd of Ilkley players and into Gregson’s bottom right hand corner.
At this point you thought that Borough would see out the remaining sixteen minutes and book their place in the next round against Avro, but yet again the courageous never-say-die attitude of the visitors struck a third time.
A clever free kick was taken short before being drilled in towards the penalty spot where the ball deflected off a Borough player and into the goal. A goal that knocked the stuffing out of Borough and meant that they would have to settle the tie on penalties.
The penalties were taken towards the Sports Bar end of the ground where at least hundred of the Borough faithful had congregated.
Quality penalties by Toby Wright, Anthony Hall and Jacob Godsman-Pilling sandwiched between two misses from Ilkley meant Callum Hewitt had the responsibility of booking Borough’s place in the third round.
He calmly stepped up and smashed his shot beyond Ilkley’s goalkeeper to give the home side a 4-2 victory and a game away against Avro FC at the Vestacare UK Stadium in Oldham next Wednesday.