Borough Blow Ashton Away

ASHTON ATHLETIC 1 BACUP BOROUGH 5

With the recent run of tragic deaths to hit the Bacup Borough Football Club, including manager Brent Peters mother Alice this week, there was a solemn air amongst the crowd at Brocstedes Park on Saturday, with the minutes slience impeccably observed by both sets of players and officials alike.

This first defence of the League Cup won so emphatically at the Tameside Stadium in a different Ashton a few short months ago, could so easily have been a banana skin given everything that has recently happened. However, straight from the off Bacup showed they were in no mood to take any hands off of the cup they had fought so hard to win last season. Steve Maden had the first chance in the third minute and although he skewed his effort wide, it set the pattern for the rest of the match. Five minutes later Daniel Cocks worked hard down the centre to get the ball out wide to Shane Birtles. He beat his man before sending in an excellent cross that was headed wide by Matthew Bryan, returning to the side after being ineligible for the trip to Nelson on Wednesday. Otis Gorman collected a booking for a late challenge on Lee Hodgkinson but the usual cup-tie edge was not really evident. Maden again had an effort at goal before the home side got their first sniff of an opening. Ryan Jones sent a clearance out to the feet of Hodgkinson and although he was some distance from goal his first time effort would probably have crept in had it not gone wide of the post. It was now Ashton’s turn to collect a booking, Mike Howarth booked for a foul on Cocks. Paul Nelson was the next to try and open the scoring, but his 29th minute effort was straight at Chris Brinksman. An even better chance arrived four minutes later, when a great move down the left saw Bryan feed a perfect ball to Birtles but he skied his effort over the bar with the goal at his mercy. However, all was forgiven just two minutes later when Bacup took the lead. Nelson created a great opening for Kingsley Williams who produced a cool finish to fire Borough ahead. Just a minute later Haydn Paul pounced at the near post to notch his fifth goal of the season and to double Bacups advantage. There was still more to come before the break. Cocks fired over in the 42nd minute but then moments later found himself clean through before being taken down in the box by the home keeper. Brinksman escaped any further punishment from the referee but was powerless to prevent Bacup captain Cocks stepping up to convert the resulting spot-kick. HALF-TIME: Ashton Athletic 0 Bacup Borough 3

Mindful of the fact that Ashton had almost recovered from a three goal defecit in midweek it was important that Bacup did not take their eyes off the ball. Athletic boss Ian Street was so incensed with his sides first half display that he made the maximum allowed three substitutions at half-time. It was one of those subs, Mike Downing, that caused Jones to make his first real save of the match, diving full length to keep out his well struck 47th minute effort. A vital save that could have secured the match. Bacup calmed down and continued to play their patient football, with Williams seeing his effort blocked by the defence ten minutes later. The dangerous Downing again went close at the other end, almost getting in at the near post, whilst Gareth Wager saw his 60th minute strike cannon off the far post with Brinksman beaten. Williams looked to convert the rebound but had strayed offside. Cocks almost caught Brinksman off his line with an audacious effort from out on the right touchline, before Peters decided to rest his captain, no doubt mindful of the raft of important games ahead. Matty Maine joined the action in his place.Worse was to come for Ashton with Rob Flint getting a second yellow card for a silly trip on a Bacup player, In the 68th minute Madens cross from the left was almost met by Paul but Brinksman just got there ahead of the Bacup front man. Ashton should really have pulled a goal back on 74 minutes, but Martyn Jackson headed wide from a central position when he should have at least hit the target. Play again switched to the other end and Nelson played the ball across the face of goal for Maden to convert his second goal in as many games. Indeed all his goals this season have come in cup football. Robel Kibrear took the field for his Borough debut, replacing the hard working Nelson, and he only had two minutes to wait to see Borough further extend their lead, Matthew Bryan drilling home his first goal for the club in his second appearance. There was another debutant in the form of Joel Howorth, replacing Maden, before Borough had their last chance of the game when Williams free-kick was met by the head of Maine but went narrowly over. Three minutes from time Mike Downing got the consolation goal that he at least deserved, sending a low effort past Jones.

FULL-TIME: Ashton Athletic 1 Bacup Borough 5