Boro make history with Cup triumph
BACUP Borough finished the season on a high as they emerged victorious in the Edward Case Cup for the second year running.
Goals from Lewis Byrne and Malachi Clarke sealed the win against Euxton Villa, and in doing so created history in being the first ever Bacup Borough side to win back-to-back trophies. Borough had already beaten strong opposition coming into the game with wins over Daisy Hill, Sandbach United and South Liverpool FC and on arrival at Ericstan Park, home of Wythenshawe Town, the mood was upbeat.
Bradley Hancock started the game on the right after a stop/start season through injury while manager Brent Peters went for attacking options on the bench with Toby Wright, Alex Mellor, Jack Hayward, Connor Morris and Scott Johnston.
Borough started the game well with Hancock making inroads on the right while captain Michael Gervin and Callum Hewitt in midfield were finding passes through the middle for
Borough’s leading goalscorer Lewis Byrne, who came into the final having netted 25 times already this term.
Euxton were also looking to impose themselves on the game with long balls into the channels, searching out the runs of Rajwinder Uppal and Nathan Parish. And with the talented Joshua Briggs forging forward down the left, Borough’s backline remained vigilant and constantly on their toes.
Several corners by Euxton brought the best out in Borough’s goalkeeper Mason Walker, who was forced out to command his penalty area with strong punches through a crowd of players.
The opening goal came on 30 minutes. A foul by Joseph Mullen on Byrne twenty-five yards from goal gave the Borough frontman the perfect opportunity to work the goalkeeper. Both Gervin and Byrne stood over the ball as Joshua Brooks in the Euxton goal lined up his wall in anticipation.
Byrne possesses a wand of a right foot and he stepped up to the ball and struck it with accuracy