Match Report

Darwen welcomed local rivals Bacup Borough to the Multevo Anchor Ground on Boxing Day in what was set to be a Christmas Cracker of a contest.
The hosts started brightly and had the better of the play in the opening Ten minutes. Nathan Bond came close in the second minute after he headed just wide at the near post. Darwen kept up the pressure as just minutes later Charlie Lloyd headed an effort over the bar from a Brayden Shaw corner.

Borough responded by having their best spell of the game. A Ben Thompson shot was deflected onto the post and the visitors took a hold of momentum of the game but the Darwen defence remained resolute to thwart any early danger.

Darwen then started having some joy down the right hand side through the pace over an overlapping Ashley Brierley. The right back got in down the right on a few occasions, the best being a cross that was flicked wide by the Salmoners captain, Bond.

A fairly even first half came to a close as the sides went in goalless.

In the early stages of the second period, Borough became more of a threat. Two excellent pieces of defending by Sam Holt made sure the Darwen backline wasn’t breached. The second being a header off the line to keep the Salmoners level in the Fifty-Fifth minute.

Just two minutes later, great interplay from Cane and Creech ended with the latter having a goal-bound header tipped over by Bacup goalkeeper, Mason Walker.

The outcome of the game was ultimately decided with the introduction of Akim Samms from the substitutes bench just before the hour mark and his impact was instant. On Sixty-One minutes, the winger, beat two men on the left hand side before crossing the ball to debutant, Max Cane who tapped home at the back post. 1-0.

Samms also had a part to play in Darwen’s second goal Nine minutes later. He started the move which culminated in Brayden Shaw taking aim from just outside the box which flew into the bottom left hand corner.

Darwen had seized the initiative and grabbed the game by it’s throat. 2-0

Darwen tried to establish a third goal but a couple of half chances went begging, first from Samms and then from Shaw.

With Five minutes to go, Bacup got back into the game through a spectacular strike from substitute Connor Morris which flew into the top corner past Lombard. 2-1.

Even though a nervy eight minutes of stoppage time was played out, The Salmoners saw the game through and kept hold of their slender lead.

A welcome victory for Kenny Langford’s men as they turn their attention to a trip to South Liverpool on Saturday.