Bacup end 11-year wait to reach final
BACUP Borough players and supporters were celebrating at the weekend after reaching the final of the Edward Case Cup with a 4-0 win over Staffordshire side Abbey Hulton United at the Brian Boys Stadium.
It is the first time in 11 years that Borough have reached a final, the last being 2012 with a 5-0 win over Maine Road in the North West Counties Challenge Cup.
Borough came into the game full of confidence and from the first whistle started to dictate the pace of the game. Sam Fitton was instrumental in providing support with driving runs into space and linking up with Toby Wright in the final third.
Captain Michael Gervin was also leading by example. Every time Abbey Hulton tried to venture beyond the halfway line Gervin was there to break up the play and send Borough on another counter attack.
Kyle Siddle and Alex Mellor were operating down the left and right wings and causing all kinds of problems and confusion for the visitors’ full backs. The visitors are currently 14th in North West Counties Division
One South and were struggling to gather any momentum on a pitch that has been good for Borough this season.
On 25 minutes Borough’s pressure paid off. Toby Wright dropped deep to receive the ball into his feet and with the outside of his foot placed a perfectly weighted pass through the middle of two Abbey Hulton defenders for Kyle Siddle who had made a diagonal run off the left hand side. He then beat the offside trap before calmly chipping the ball over the advancing goalkeeper.
Ten minutes later Borough had their second of the afternoon. Hewitt played a nice one two with Alex Mellor, and as he made a driving run into the penalty area he was fouled, the referee pointing to the spot and Toby Wright stepping up to claim his 26th goal of the season.
Abbey Hulton had a chance to get one back just before the break when a ball played into the box was flicked goal bound by the Lee Cropper, but Borough’s goalkeeper Mason Walker parried the ball away from danger.
The game was effectively won with Borough’s third on 62 minutes. A corner from the right by Sam Fitton was played towards the near post with power, a defender on the near post diverting the ball into his own net.
Abbey Hulton almost got one back had it not been for defensive heroics from Joey Fallon who managed to clear the ball off the line.
Later on in the game Emmanuel Ujahchuku and Scott Johnson were introduced for the departing Sam Fitton and Siddle.
On 83 minutes Borough claimed their fourth goal. The play was broken up through the middle and as the ball fell to the feet of Ujahchuku who then made a driving run forward into space before being fouled just inside the Abbey Hulton penalty area. For the second time of the afternoon the referee pointed to the spot.
Wright converted with ease to net his 27th goal of the campaign and send Borough singing and dancing into their first final in eleven years.
Manager Peters said: “It was a good afternoon for the team. They did exactly what we told them to do. Every single player carried out their roles and responsibilities against a team that we knew very little about coming into the game.
“Before the match we simply told the players to relax, focus and go about their business effectively, and they definitely did
that. I must give a lot of credit to our opponents who were gracious in defeat, but today our lads were ruthless.”
I asked the manager what it meant to him personally in getting the club to their first final in eleven years, he said: “It means a lot. It means a lot because it’s not just about me. There’s people at the club and those supporting the club who deserve this moment. The players also deserve the chance to play in a final and feel the atmosphere of a big occasion. Now that we’ve reached the final of the Edward Case we now need to focus our attention on the league and another big semi-final next Saturday in the Macron Cup.”
Borough will face FC St Helens in the Macron Cup semi-final expecting another bumper ground at the Brian Boys Stadium. Kick-off 3pm