Opportunities go begging for Boro

BACUP Borough suffered defeat in their final game of 2018 away against AFC Darwen.

East Lancashire rivals Darwen took advantage of Borough’s off day in front of goal to claim all three points.

The visitors had numerous chances to have claimed something from the match, but Bacup’s finishing eluded them and they went away empty-handed.

Bacup got off to the worst possible start when defender Nicholas Alessander attempted a pass into the channel for Josh Walne which was cut out, leading to the ball being put in behind the Bacup rear guard into the path of an advancing player.

Bacup’s goalkeeper Henry Turner raced from his line diving at the advancing player’s feet taking the ball but the referee felt he also took the man from which a penalty was given and converted by Darwen’s Elliot Pond.

After this early set back, Bacup struggled to get into any sort of rhythm, and this was down to the work ethics of the Darwen players who worked tirelessly all over the pitch, ensuring Bacup did not get into any sort of passing moves which has been the catalyst from their previous excellent performances.

If this was a bad start it got worse for Borough before it got better. Bacup won a free kick at the edge of the Darwen box, and the kick was struck against the Darwen wall.

The ball was cleared up field, and Bacup’s deepest midfielder young Kyle Brooks headed across to do his best to contain the breaking player but got out battled down the left hand side.

The defenders then seemed to drop off, affording the advancing player ground before he found Pond who was able to capitalise on the space before firing into the net to make it 2-0 at half-time.

With Bacup two goals down at the break and never really getting going, manager Brent Peters changed his team shape relinquishing a defender and introducing striker Matthew Dell.

Bacup had more of an attacking threat themselves in the second half, when Michael Gervin burst into the box before forcing the Darwen goalkeeper into a quality save.

Bacup introduced two more substitutes in Jordan Wilmore and Lowis Holding, and it was Holding that gave Bacup a lifeline when he went attempted to head the ball and the goalkeeper missed the flight of the ball and punched Holding accidentally. This was enough for the referee to award Bacup a penalty, which Anthony Hall converted.

In the closing minutes Bacup should have got the equaliser when Davison Banda found himself in front of goal and seemed to have done all of the hard work, before wildly firing over from close range.

The miss summed up Bacup’s afternoon, with Darwen holding on to earn the 2-1 win and condemn Peters’ side to defeat.