Bacup Borough continued their pre-season schedule with a solid 4-4 squad performance against NWCFL Premier Division side Chadderton FC.
The game was another opportunity for the manager to assess how the squad are progressing ahead of the 2024/25 season which starts in just over a week's time at home to Ashton Athletic.
Borough's Toby Wright is one player who has returned from the close season looking sharp and ready to go. It's quite clear to see from the opening pre-season fixtures that the front man has been working hard over the past few months.
Toby Wright has returned from the close season a more complete player
Wright was influencial in the game against Chadderton, scoring two and instrumental in setting up the other goals for Ben Thompson and Alex Mellor.
Ben Thompson was a constant menace and netted his first goal for the club
The first strike from Wright was a glorious finish to pick out the goalkeeper's top right hand corner from the edge of the penalty area. And the second was equally as impressive when he managed to wriggle away from his marker before finding the bottom right with the outside of his left boot. Both were finishes of real quality, and hopefully going into the new season it is a sign of things to come from the big man.
Alex Mellor has looked strong during the opening pre-season fixtures
Losing the services of Lewis Byrne in the summer was massively disappointing, but with Wright in this kind of form and also having the likes of Connor Morris to lead the line then the future looks promising.
During the game with Chadderton is was great to see Ben Thompson and Alex Mellor get amongst the goals. Ben netted the first of the evening with a composed side footed shot from twelve yards out. And Mellor's was a great piece of link up play between Mellor and Wright. With Wright finding Mellor with a reverse pass into space before running through on goal and lifting the ball calmly over the top of the onrushing goalkeeper.
In the second half Peters' made changes with all of the new blood getting valuable minutes.
Toby Azhar looks a composed and assured player in midfield and will certainly bolster that department. Oliver Hodgson always delights when making those driving runs into the final third. And Brady Boardman is a versatile player who in my eyes possesses a great deal of quality.
Another on display last night in the absense of Joey Fallon was Declan Wallis who played with a lot of confidence alongside Gareth Wager in a central defensive partnership.
Overall it was another step in the right direction as the focus all gears towards next Saturday's opener with Ashton Athletic at the Brian Boys Stadium.
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