WORDS: Martin Shaw PICTURES: Sean Doyle
Golcar United joint boss Ash Connor hailed his side’s will to win after a battling performance against a youthful and talented Bacup Borough side at the Skye Direct Stadium.
The Weavers went ahead through a viciously swerving free-kick from dead ball specialist Joe Skarz in the first half and looked like seeing it out until a nervy last 10 minutes.
Golcar conceded a free-kick in a dangerous position and Ross Mallinson levelled in the 83rd minute. The home side dug deep and grabbed a lifeline when top scorer Ash Flynn went down in the box.
Flynn, with 10 goals in his previous five games, picked himself up and ignored the Bacup protests to smash home a brilliant penalty with three minutes left, sealing a 2-1 victory.
Connor said: “Bacup are a very good side. They beat us 2-0 here last season and we expected a tough game. It was two good teams that for the majority of the game cancelled eachother out.
“We managed to get our noses in front through Joe’s free-kick. I thought we were going to see it through but then we gave away a free-kick and we got caught.
“We have a great team spirit, though, and we keep going. We have a good, confident dressing room and we have had to find a way.”
The Bacup bench were fuming over the award of the penalty and Connor had some sympathy having seen a couple of penalty decisions go against them already this season.
“I thought it was a penalty,” he said. “But these things even themselves out over the course of the season and this was our turn to get one.”
Golcar, with six wins and a draw from their opening seven matches this season, moved back to the top of the North West Counties First Division North on goal difference.
Connor added: “We are on a journey and we want to keep it going. We have had a great start to the season and we keep going, it’s one game at a time.”
