Formby 3 – Bacup Borough 1
The Squirrels were rocked with news that vice-chairman and joint-manager Peter Henerty had been taken to hospital after his car left the road on the way to the match. After reassurances that he was o.k. and was on his way to hospital, the match went ahead as scheduled.
Two goals by Paul Lamb, one from the penalty spot plus one from Paul Jones gave the Squirrels a comfortable home win against a battling Bacup Borough side to maintain Formby’s fine home form and cement a place in mid-table in the Vodkat first division.
Formby were lethargic and slow starters with an early break down the left on four minutes opening the Squirrels defence up as Hartley for Bacup ran round the advancing Gunnion but the keeper did enough and he sliced his shot into the side netting. The visitors could then have increased their lead two minutes later when a towering header from a corner was cleared off the home line.
Totally against the run of play, the Squirrels found some room in midfield and Paul Jones worked some space before rifling a shot towards goals from 25 yards to see it taked a wicked first bounce high over keeper Potts’ head and into the net. Frankly the keeper should have done better and the afternoon didn’t get any better for him. Potts replaced Bacups’ first choice keeper who has recently signed for Oldham Athletic.
Paul Lamb having recovered from a bout of illness over the New Year then made a trade mark run into the area but this time Potts smothered the ball and it was scrambled over for a corner The Squirrels pressed for a second but after losing possession cheaply in their opponents area, a quick break and cross saw Luker equalise for the visitors in the 26th minute. The visitors were coming back into the game now, especially as a heavy pitch was making good football at a premium.
Formby won a penalty as Lamb picked up a pass inside the area but had his legs taken from under him and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. After a long delay over were the ball should be spotted in the mud it was down to Paul Lamb to send the keeper easily the wrong way slotting low into the left hand side of the goal. The second half was easily forgettable in the freezing cold conditions with the visitors speculative 40 yard chip on the hour nearly deceiving Gunnion, he was in fine form catching and punching away several corners and free kicks during the early part of the second half.
After Borg had shot high wide and no so handsomely from a good central position on 73 minutes it was the turn of the home side to up the ante and try to put the match out of reach and this they did on 75 minutes when Cavanagh’s break into the box saw Potts save his shot only for the ball to fall to Paul Lamb to finish easily with a low shot past the remaining defender on the line. The match was effectively over and the home side were on the lookout for more goals and a great 50-yard run from Wilson down the left saw his flashing shot well saved at the far post, Dutton then came on and his low shot was fumbled at the near post by the visiting keeper and he couldn’t convert the rebound, overall another good workmanlike performance in preparation for next Saturdays visit to Stanway in the FA Vase,
MATCH FACTS
GOALS: JONES (7mins)1-0, LUKER (26mins)1-1, LAMB (32mins)2-1pen, LAMB (75mins)3-1.
FORMBY: GUNNION, DERMOTT, D.JONES, ROSE, KERR, GORNELL, MORLEY, P.JONES, CAVANAGH, LAMB, M.WILSON, SUBS: HOWARD, LLOYD, TURNER, DUTTON.
BACUP BOROUGH: POTTS, INDESEES, CROSS, ANDERSON, SHEPHERD, BORG, HARTLEY, HERBERT, LUKER, CHADWICK, STOTT, SUBS BROWN, GREENWOOD, THEOPHAINUS, LUCAS
ATTENDANCE: 90.