Borough Earn Their Stripes !!

And so to Windleshaw Sports Club in St Helens for a North West Counties Division One North fixture between FC St Helens and Bacup Borough.

FC St Helens, 'The Stripes', was established in 2014 in the heart of the town, originally as St Helens Town's reserve side. Their motto is 'Simul Nos Firmiories' - Together We Are Strong...

The club started in the West Cheshire League, before moving to the Cheshire League Division Two in 2015 and achieving promotions to Division One in 2016 and the Premier in 2018. As champions last season The Stripes were promoted to the NWCFL, replacing, ironically, former FA Vase winners St Helens Town, who finished bottom and were relegated. FC have started with a win and two draws from their opening three fixtures.

Bacup Borough, from the wonderfully named Cowtoot Lane, began life as Bacup Baldies (!) in 1879 before changing to Bacup then Bacup Borough in 1920. At the start of the 2013/14 campaign they became Bacup & Rossendale Borough, following the sad demise of Rossendale United FC. BARB only lasted two years and in 2015, after two wretched seasons, saw a reversion to Bacup Borough - not through supporter pressure but because 'evil spirits didn't approve' (I kid you not !!).

 

The Borough moved to their current ground, West View, now sponsored by local property developer Brian Boys, in 1889 and joined the Lancashire League in 1893. A move up to the Lancashire Combination in 1903 followed and the club was crowned champions in 1947.

 

Following the amalgamation of the Cheshire League and the Lancashire Combination, the club became founder members of the North West Counties in 1982. In September 1997 and after a 0-10 reverse against Tetley Walker, Brent Peters was appointed manager......and a quarter of a century on is still in charge for this afternoon's game - the world's longest serving football manager. He's also Chairman, Secretary and Director....

The club was promoted as Division Two champions in 2004 but, despite the club motto of 'Prosperity Through Endeavour', suffered relegation at the end of the 2014/15 season - those disapproving evil spirits presumably......... Borough just failed to bounce straight back, losing the play off final in extra time at Barnton in May 2016, and had two poor campaigns followed by mid table mediocrity and Covid..... This season has seen last weekend's 4-3 home win over Nelson after three straight defeats.

A horror journey which sees Dazzle The Clown, a bloke wearing a T shirt emblazoned with 'Beerilliant Dad', numberplates UR 53CUR (an alarm company) and EA55SSY and a building company advertising WhatTheMuk leads to wasps, accidents, stranded vehicles, roadworks and the M6 clogged from J20 to J26. Into Warrington and out on the A57 , the Pink Eye building, Crosfields ARLFC, Snoutwood Trotters (!), then Trigger Pond, Christmas Tree Farm and Bargyloo Farm.

 

That brings me to Bold Heath, Thatto Heath, Clock Face - its rugby league side Clock Face Miners ☺ - Sherdley Manor and via The Glass Horse to central St Helens. To Denton's Green and Tennis Street leading to Windleshaw Sports Club. Ample parking, a fiver in, and a crowd of 77 with at least 20 from Bacup.

Inside we are prevented from reaching the clubhouse by an officious steward - the ground is tree lined, a storage area next to the bar and outside seating and a very plush rest home with first floor balcony. At the top end is a playing field and a minuscule covered area, with the dugouts cordoned off and then, after a complaint, opened up prior to kick off.

St Helens are in red and white stripes, Borough in all white with dark blue herringbone sleeves. Four minutes in Bacup lead as Lewis-Simon Byrne's through ball reaches Jack Hayward, who cuts inside and flatfoots Saints' keeper Joe Mason, slotting into the far corner.

 

Thereafter FC hit the woodwork twice - one a palm onto the stanchion, the other a diving header from Zak Riley. They also miss a sitter, and half time sees Borough lead 1-0, but it's a messy half characterised by strong winds (despite the sunshine), a parched pitch and poor refereeing.

 

The weak refereeing continues into the second period, notwithstanding four Bacup yellow cards - the official failing to crack down on blatant gamesmanship. Borough go two up 6 minutes into the half with a Liam Houghton own goal, flicking in a Borough corner.

 

Houghton then follows this with a terrible miss at the other end, and Elliott Bradshaw heads over from a free kick. Finally, on 74 minutes, Jacob Stretch smashes the ball into the top corner from the edge of the box to halve the deficit.

 

But despite plenty of Stripes' huffing and puffing there is no equaliser as the game becomes increasingly bad tempered, and they are indebted to a super save from Mason at the death to leave Borough 2-1 winners.