Back-to-back Cup finals for Borough
BACUP Borough made it back-toback Edward Case Cup finals with a 2-0 win against South Liverpool FC in front of a bumper crowd at the Brian Boys Stadium.
Goals from Kyle Siddle and Lewis Byrne were enough to secure the win and mean that Borough will now have the opportunity to defend their crown against Euxton Villa at Wythenshawe Town on May 6th.
Brent Peters made several changes to the side that started the game away at Holker Old Boys, with Toby Wright, Jack Hayward, Callum Hewitt and Scott Johnston all in for Borough’s biggest game of the season so far.
There was also a welcome return to action for Mason Fallon at left back – his only involvement over the past few weeks has been with the U23s.
As for the visitors, South Liverpool FC, they came into the game in fine form, in fourth place in the league and well poised for a play-off place.
Borough started on the front foot with Michael Gervin and Callum Hewitt taking control and dictating the pace of the game in midfield. And with Kyle Siddle eager to get on the ball down the left hand side, it was Peters’ team asking all the early questions.
At the other end South Liverpool were showing some signs of danger with Lewis Williams the main threat. But every time the visitors looked to advance they were met by a solid backline in Joey Fallon and Scott Johnston perfectly placed to snuff out any kind of momentum.
On 14 minutes Borough took the lead through Kyle Siddle. Fallon intercepted a pass on the halfway line and found the feet of Siddle, who turned with pace and purpose, cut the ball inside on his right foot and curled a shot with precision towards the goalkeeper’s bottom left hand corner. Alexander Fowell in the South’s goal dived desperately but the shot was so powerful it went in off the inside of the post, giving him no chance.
The visitors continued to threaten with a bombardment of balls into the box from wide areas, but the defensive block of Langley, Joey Fallon, Johnston and Mason Fallon were equal to it.
For the remainder of the first half Borough had a large percentage of the ball with the visitors unable to penetrate beyond the midfield due to the presence and workrate of both Gervin and Hewitt, the duo making life extremely uncomfortable for Martin Ryman’s team.
South appeared several minutes before Borough for the second half but within a minute of the restart Borough had doubled their lead.
Excellent build up play down the left-hand side saw Wright turn his man and thread a perfectly weighted ball into the path of Byrne, who stripped the defender for pace and dispatched the ball with such confidence beyond the onrushing goalkeeper. It took Byrne’s tally to 22 goals for the season so far.
South Liverpool went about trying to close the deficit with positive movement into wide areas. Oscar Billington was having most success and continued to be a menace with the ball and on two occasions gave his marker the slip, bringing out the best in Borough’s goalkeeper Mason Walker with excellent saves low down to his left hand side.
On 70 minutes if it wasn’t frustrating enough for Ryman’s team, the Borough goalkeeper saved a penalty from Lewis Williams. The ball was placed towards Walker’s bottom left hand corner and he didn’t just save
the spot kick but also managed to hold on to it.
At this point Peters was eager to get fresh legs on the pitch and see out the game. Ryan Siddle was introduced for the final 20 minutes to bolster the back four.
Borough used all five substitutes with Ben Thompson, Alex Mellor, Cameron Hargreaves and Lewis North getting amongst the action and securing back-to-back finals on a night when Peters side were in no mood for messing about.
Anything but a win against South Liverpool FC would’ve meant Borough playing out the remainder of the season for pride due to inconsistencies in their league
form, so little wonder Peters was so upbeat.
“The lads were brilliant,” he said. “From the first whistle they gave us everything. When I say us, I mean the entire club. Our form this season has been up and down at times, and it was about leaving everything out on the pitch. Tonight the lads looked alert and ready to defend their crown against a top side in South Liverpool.
“Martin Ryman is a manager I have a lot of time and respect for in the league, and I knew that we would need to be at our best from the start. After watching the first few minutes I had a good feeling about the outcome.
“I thought every man
put in a shift for the team. We made several changes from the side that started against Holker a few weeks ago as I wanted to reward the substitutes who came on and played well in that game.
“They all performed well, and seeing Callum Hewitt, Mason Fallon and Scott Johnston put in a solid game was great to see. It showed how much quality we have at the club and that we are able to swap things around without feeling any negative impact on the balance of the team.
“We now have to refocus our attention back on completing our league campaign, but having another final to look forward to is a nice place to
be. It’s a great achievement.”
Borough have only ever managed to reach backto-back finals on two other occasions. The first was in the 1929-30 when they won the East Lancashire Charity Shield and were runners-up the following season. And then just after the war 1945-46 and 1946-47 they were runners-up of the Lancashire Combination Cup.
Last Saturday Borough played out a 2-2 draw at home to AFC Blackpool. Goals from Kyle Siddle and Lewis Byrne meant that Peters side remained in tenth place. They do have a few games in hand but it’s increasingly unlikely they’ll make those play-offs.
At the time of going to press they were due to face Huddersfield-based Shelley FC at home and this coming weekend head to Jericho Lane by the Mersey to take on South Liverpool FC, this time in league action.