Boro kick off year with five-star win
BACUP Borough returned to action at the Brian Boys Stadium on Bank Holiday Monday in front of their largest crowd of the season – and the 234 were thoroughly entertained with a five-star performance and a well deserved hat-trick from Anthony Hall.
Boro were coming into the game off the back of a hard fought 2-2 away draw with Cleator Moor Celtic during the Christmas period, and with several key players returning to the squad it allowed manager Brent Peters to make a few changes.
Club captain Michael Gervin and goalkeeper Harry Turner returned after being out with Covid, and Bacup lad Jacob Godsman-Pilling was added to the squad, a young talented player with a bright future.
As on many occasions this season Boro didn’t get off to a good start and found themselves behind within three minutes. Several players were challenging for the ball on the edge of the penalty area and Pilkington’s Deklan Hill somehow managed to dig it out of his feet and loop it beyond Turner into the right hand corner.
Boro started to go through the gears themselves, and on a difficult surface were still able to play some attractive football.
On eight minutes Boro almost had their equaliser. A beautifully flighted cross from the right by Ryan Siddle was met by Callum Hewitt coming in at the far post, and the midfielder could only watch on as his header came crashing back off the crossbar.
Lewis Byrne was making his first start in two months and the energetic forward would be a constant threat for Pilkington as he worked in tandem alongside Anthony Hall.
The same partnership orchestrated the equaliser. On 12 minutes another excellent ball by Ryan Siddle down the right found Hall in space, he managed to weave past the left back towards the byline before cutting it back into the path of Byrne who side footed beyond the Pilkington keeper from five yards out.
Two minutes later Boro would take the lead. More pressure on the defence of the visitors ended with the ball coming into the box from the right and the first man to react was Hall. He brought the ball down on the edge of the six yard box and with a twist and a turn managed to find enough space to smash home.
The midfield was working tirelessly to win second balls and defensively Daniel Warren and Joey Fallon were battling with aerial supremacy.
On 23 minutes Bradley Hancock almost provided the crowd with the goal of the season. The ball was won in midfield by Warren, and as it rolled loose, Hancock without hesitation drilled a shot goalbound from 35 yards out. The ball was heading for the top right hand corner but yet again the woodwork saved the visitors.
Boro played out the remainder of the first half in total control with excellent running and link up play. The first half performance was an illustration of why fans are returning to West View to watch this group of young exciting players.
Peters’ side started the second half in the same vein as they finished the first with lung busting runs, overlaps and composed range of passing.
The rain continued to fall but this didn’t dampen spirits or slow down the onslaught from the home side. Alex Mellor and Kyle Siddle continued to terrorise the full backs with trickery and speed in the final third.
For all of Boro’s control it was Pilkington who could’ve had an equaliser on 54 minutes.
Deklan Hill found himself in space just outside the penalty area in a central position, and Pilkington’s number eleven picked out Harry Turner’s top right hand corner with a wonderfully placed shot.
Turner showed exactly why he was voted Goalkeeper of the Month for September and October with amazing agility. Somehow he was able to spring from the centre of his goal and tip the ball onto the post and away from danger. A fantastic piece of goalkeeping that had everybody in the ground applauding.
From that moment on it was all about the young Boro.
On 57 minutes Byrne gave the home side a 3-1 lead.
The ‘wonderkid’ as he’s being called by the Boro faithful brought the ball in from the left and managed to get his shot on goal from the edge of the box.
There wasn’t that much power in it but agonisingly for the Pilkington goalkeeper Ellis Taylor it slipped through his fingers and trickled over the line.
The fifty or so supporters situated behind the Sports Bar end of the ground were not showing any sympathy towards the Pilkington stopper!
On 70 minutes Gervin was introduced to the game, replacing Byrne who had run himself into the ground, and it didn’t take Gervin long to stamp his authority on the match.
Straight away he was linking up with the midfield and forwards finding a range of passing that was allowing Boro to get behind the Pilkington defence, and it was via a
Gervin shot from 30 yards that Boro took a 4-1 lead.
Gervin’s power drive hit the crossbar and Hall, as he did in the first half, reacted first and headed home from four yards out. He was now hunting his hat-trick and the way that the game was unfolding you couldn’t rule anything out.
Ryan Siddle was also replaced by Josh Walne at right back for the final 15 minutes.
The positives we’ve seen this season with Boro’s squad is that Peters and David Felgate have strength in depth.
All those players coming off the bench are equally as important and effective as those starting matches.
Just before the end Hall got his just rewards when he was brought down inside the box. Hall without hesitation stepped up and converted to give Boro a 5-1 victory and a well deserved hat-trick for his efforts.
Boro now have a weekend off with their next game on Tuesday night away to Chadderton FC. Kick Off 7.45pm