Cup progress at Cougar Park

NW COUNTIES FIRST DIVISION CUP STEETON .......................... 1 BACUP BOROUGH ........... 2 MATTHEW LAWSON

GOALS from Michael Gervin and Matty Dell were enough for Brent Peters’ men at Cougar Park to see them through to the next round of the First Division Cup.

Following on from the six-goal thriller against Avro, Borough were on the road again, this time in Keighley as they faced the test of Steeton AFC.

Borough would be looking for a repeat result of their league fixture earlier this year as they ran out 5-1 winners at The Brian Boys Westview Stadium.

They started brightly and could have been ahead after two minutes, a ball over the top from Simm to Dell resulted in a knock back to Gervin but his shot lacked any power and was easy enough for the keeper. A great move.

Borough did get themselves ahead with 10 min- ●● Michael Gervin was on the scoresheet again utes on the clock. Gervin skipped through a number of Steeton players before placing his right footed shot from the edge of the box past the goalkeeper into the bottom corner. A quality individual goal once again from Gervin.

After the goal, both sides upped the tempo.

The hosts came close a few times through their number 11 but he couldn’t find the target with his volley at the near post.

The same player had a free header just before the break but luckily for Bacup it was directed way past the post.

At half time, Bacup were in the driving seat and went into the break 1-0 up

Peters’ men started the second half lively, a perfectly weighted ball from Dell finding the ever willing Darcy O’Connor but he didn’t make full contact with the ball and he scuffed his effort, allowing the Steeton defence to clear any danger.

Just past the hour mark, Micah Evans replaced Anthony Hall. The phrase ‘impact sub’ was certainly applicable in this case. Evans put into action exactly what the management team had said to him prior to his involvement in the game.

He dribbled past the full back on the left hand side, cut in and squared the ball for Dell who’s first shot was well blocked by the centre half, but the rebound fell straight at Dell’s feet who made no mistake the second time around and leathered it past the keeper to make it 0-2.

Borough could have had a third in the last 15 minutes, a delicate lofted Ball into the box from full back Josh Walne was into .the path of O’Connor who tried his best to deal with the bobble off the surface but he could only put his effort into the side netting.

With five minutes left to play at Cougar Park the hosts got a goal back, to set up an intense end to the game.

A soft free kick was given away by Liam Simm on the by line close to the corner flag, the hosts took the freekick as if it as a corner, a floated lofty ball to the back post was met by their Centre Half Steven Pearson, whose downward header beat the Borough player on the line to make it 1-2.

Following the goal Borough just controlled the game and kept possession and held on to their one goal advantage to see themselves into the hat for the next round.