|
Saturday 26th August 2023
Northern Premier League
Gainsborough Trinity - 1 Bamber Bridge - 1 
Well, If nothing else, Saturday’s trip to Lincolnshire to Face Gainsborough Trinity was certainly eventful. The team coach broke down just 10 minutes after leaving Bamber Bridge and limped along the M65 to Darwen Services. A sheared flywheel and a leaking cooling system meant the end of the journey, for that bus at least. An hour later, a replacement arrived and we were off, only to be delayed on the M62 for a further 15 minutes due to an accident. We finally arrived at the Martin and Co. Arena at twenty past three, The referee indicating kick off would be at 4pm.
The early stages of the game saw Brig, in all yellow, start the game well with some slick passing football. An early raid down the right wing found new loan signing from Crewe Alexandra, Zack Kempster-Down in space, he drilled over a hard low cross which was well gathered by the home keeper, diving low to his near post. The Holy Blues responded and a fine run through the middle saw the ball switched left, a firm shot from the edge of the box was well blocked and cleared. Back came Bamber Bridge and again down the right, this time Zak watched his deep cross from wide right float just over the crossbar. Seconds later and Danny Forbes tried an audacious chip over the keeper who was alert to the danger and saved well.
The Lancashire side were getting into their stride and Danny Edwards was found on the left of the penalty area with a fine lofted pass, he controlled the ball before striking a volley that was deflected out of play for a corner. Trinity then turned defence into attack as they raced forward, a sharp pass to the right was met with a fierce low drive, James Pradic in the Brig goal spreading himself well to save well with his legs.
With the play now moving from end to end, Danny Forbes was unlucky with a great flicked header from a left wing cross that was deflected over the bar. From the resulting corner, Pottsy struck a low shot that was well saved by the home keeper. The last action of the half ended following a spell of head tennis in the Trinity penalty area before it was eventually hooked clear.
The second half started in a blaze from The Briggers. Danny Forbes whipped in a low cross from the right, the attempted volleyed clearance from the home defender took the ball in the opposite direction, but fortunately for the hosts straight into the arms of the keeper.
But just 4 minutes into the 2nd half Brig went ahead. A cross from the left was partially cleared, falling to Harry Scarborough on the edge of the “D”, The Brig striker steadied himself before slamming a great volley into the roof of the net. At the other end a low shot from the home side flashed into the side netting following a break down the left.
Brig
attacked again and Danny Forbes was tripped just outside the area in
a central position. Adam Dodd stepped up but his low drive rebounded
back to him off the defensive wall, his follow up shot cleared the
bar, the terracing and flew out of the ground.
Gainsborough Trinity then began to enjoy a spell of pressure forcing Brig into defensive mode, James Pradic pulled off a fine save moments before the equaliser came on 70 minutes. Brig failed to clear a ball into the box and the resulting shot seemed to take a deflection before finding the back of the net.
Brig made two changes, on came Tunde and Marc Cullen to replace Danny Forbes and Danny Edwards. Tunde was quickly into the action as burst free down the left, cutting back along the byline, his low cross deflected out for a corner. The short corner led to Sky Sinclair whipping over a superb cross, a home defender got a touch with his head to the ball but it flashed just inches wide of the far post.
Another Brig cross from the left was then headed over by a defender as Brig looked for the winner. The hosts were still looking very dangerous but Brig were playing well and a Pottsy free kick some 40 yards from goal was just missed by Marc Cullen as he stretched to get on the end of it, the ball just skipping out of play.
Zack Kempster-Down then broke free down the left before striking a low shot that was well gathered by the keeper. Zak again moments later with another great run played the ball square across the box from the byline the incoming shot was well blocked and cleared.
That was to be the last action of an entertaining game played in a good spirit and Bamber Bridge were well worthy of at least the point they take back to Lancashire. Brig have had two extremely long and arduous journeys this week following Tuesday nights visit to the North East and Marske Utd. Just the one point to show for the two games but both performances were good and the team is beginning to gel. It’s a long hard season but we are certainly on the right lines. The games come thick and fast in the NPL and Bank Holiday Monday seer's us back at Irongate were Workington FC will be visitors. See you all there.
Tuesday 22nd August 2023
Northern Premier League
Marske United - 3 Bamber Bridge - 1
Bamber Bridge suffered their first defeat of the season as they went down 3-1 in The North East to struggling Marske United. A long 3 hour plus drive up to Teesside certainly didn’t aid the pre-match preparations for Brig, arriving at the ground just 40 minutes prior to kick off due to a traffic accident on the M1
Marske Utd having suffered three defeats in their three games so far this season ended that that run taking all the points in a match that Brig will consider they could have, and in truth should have, won.
Pre Match in the Marske Utd Clubhouse
On a pleasant but
slightly autumnal feeling evening at the Mount Pleasant Stadium, Brig
started brightly and were well on top in the opening exchanges.
However it was Marske who forged the first opportunity in what was a
sign of things to come. A long over the top ball led to The number 9,
Boyes racing towards James Pradic in the Bamber Bridge goal, the
keeper spreading himself well to make the save. Brig were looking to
pass the ball around whilst the home side preferred the over the top
and chase it style which to be fair,they put to very good use.
A long stoppage on 7 minutes saw the home side forced into a change before moments later Jack Baxter had to be replaced as he couldn’t shake off an earlier knock, Danny Forbes coming on as his replacement.
Harry Scarborough had the first chance for the Lancashire Visitors striking a low shot from 12 yards only to see the home keeper dive right to push it away around the post for a corner. From that corner Danny Forbes watched on as his downward header bounced up beyond the keeper only to be headed clear off the line, the follow up shot deflected out for another corner as Brig began to dominate proceedings.
With Brig looking in full control, on 30 minutes, the inevitable happened, another long punt downfield from The Teesiders led to No.9 Boyes once again facing Pradic in a one to one face off, this time the home striker made no mistake drilling a low shot in to the bottom corner to give the home side the lead.
Pleasant evening on Teeside
The Bamber Bridge response was immediate,
literally straight from the kick off the ball found its way to Harry
Benns, on the right hand side of the penalty area, his low shot
screaming in to the far corner of the net to level the score.
Again Brig looked to gain control with their quick passing brand of football, the home side however were ever dangerous as they launched counter attacks with rapid pace. Pradic again having to be alert following a long ball dealing with a shot from, inside the penalty area. With half time approaching, Marc Cullen had a shot charged down before Pottsy saw a rising 20 yard shot clear the bar by inches. The half ended with another chance for the home side as a header from a corner seemed to clip the top of the crossbar.
The second half began as did the first with Bamber Bridge in control of possession passing the ball around but finding that final ball in to the strikers just eluding them. For all the possession of the visitors it was the home side with their direct style who looked the more dangerous and another long forward ball led to a shooting opportunity that just cleared the bar.
The Compact but very pleasant Mount Pleasant Stadium
At the other end
Brig had a chance when a free kick was played into the path of Danny
Edwards who struck hard and low but the shot was was well blocked by
a determined Marske defence. Brig were still in control but the final
ball into the box was met time and time again but the first defender
and cleared.
On the hour Brig (in our opinion) should have been awarded a penalty, Danny Edwards racing across the box was tripped as he reached the ball first. The referee indicated a foul, the issue here being that the lines on the pitch were barely visible and the referee deemed that the foul took place outside the area. That he marked the position for the free kick 5 yards further out from where the foul actually occurred indicated that it should have been a spot kick. The free kick was headed clear by the first defender.
Mark Cullen was replaced by Tunde with 20 minutes remaining as Brig looked to push on and find the winner. Harry Scarborough drilled a near post shot wide as Brig continued to dominate possession. Danny Edwards then weaved across the penalty area before striking a shot that the keeper pushed on to the post before a defender hooked it clear.
Fading light and were are the markings on the pitch ?
With 10 minutes
remaining and Bamber Bridge well on top and thoughts drifting towards
the thought that we might just pick up one point, Marske broke away
again and won a penalty, Danny Forbes deemed to have handled the
ball, impossible to see clearly from our vantage point at the far
end. Boyes stepped up for the hosts and smashed home his and Marske
United’s second goal.
A second Brig change saw Cian Spencer McDermott replace Lewis Thompson but just two minutes later, the home side secured all three points with a third goal. Again Boyes found himself in the clear with just the keeper to beat and he made no mistake burying the ball in the back of the net to claim his hat trick.
4 minutes of added time came and went with the hots calmly seeing out time to record their first points of the season. For Bamber Bridge, well we somehow engineered a defeat from a performance that deserved more. However it’s goals that win games and fair play to Marske United, they took their chances. Brig shouldn’t have lost this game and the disappointment at the end was palpable.
Nope, No lines on that side either !!
But that one has gone, and it’s on to Gainsborough Trinity on Saturday in what is sure to be another long distance difficult match.
Brig: Pradic, Thompson, Benns, Squires, Wilson ©, Baxter, Edwards, Potts, Cullen, Scarborough, Dodd
Subs: Butterworth, Spencer-McDermott, Forbes, Bayode
Att: 392
Saturday 12th August 2023
Northern Premier League
Matlock Town - 0 Bamber Bridge - 0
Northern Premier League
Gainsborough Trinity - 1 Bamber Bridge - 1
Well, If nothing else, Saturday’s trip to Lincolnshire to Face Gainsborough Trinity was certainly eventful. The team coach broke down just 10 minutes after leaving Bamber Bridge and limped along the M65 to Darwen Services. A sheared flywheel and a leaking cooling system meant the end of the journey, for that bus at least. An hour later, a replacement arrived and we were off, only to be delayed on the M62 for a further 15 minutes due to an accident. We finally arrived at the Martin and Co. Arena at twenty past three, The referee indicating kick off would be at 4pm.
The early stages of the game saw Brig, in all yellow, start the game well with some slick passing football. An early raid down the right wing found new loan signing from Crewe Alexandra, Zack Kempster-Down in space, he drilled over a hard low cross which was well gathered by the home keeper, diving low to his near post. The Holy Blues responded and a fine run through the middle saw the ball switched left, a firm shot from the edge of the box was well blocked and cleared. Back came Bamber Bridge and again down the right, this time Zak watched his deep cross from wide right float just over the crossbar. Seconds later and Danny Forbes tried an audacious chip over the keeper who was alert to the danger and saved well.
The Lancashire side were getting into their stride and Danny Edwards was found on the left of the penalty area with a fine lofted pass, he controlled the ball before striking a volley that was deflected out of play for a corner. Trinity then turned defence into attack as they raced forward, a sharp pass to the right was met with a fierce low drive, James Pradic in the Brig goal spreading himself well to save well with his legs.
With the play now moving from end to end, Danny Forbes was unlucky with a great flicked header from a left wing cross that was deflected over the bar. From the resulting corner, Pottsy struck a low shot that was well saved by the home keeper. The last action of the half ended following a spell of head tennis in the Trinity penalty area before it was eventually hooked clear.
The second half started in a blaze from The Briggers. Danny Forbes whipped in a low cross from the right, the attempted volleyed clearance from the home defender took the ball in the opposite direction, but fortunately for the hosts straight into the arms of the keeper.
But just 4 minutes into the 2nd half Brig went ahead. A cross from the left was partially cleared, falling to Harry Scarborough on the edge of the “D”, The Brig striker steadied himself before slamming a great volley into the roof of the net. At the other end a low shot from the home side flashed into the side netting following a break down the left.
Gainsborough Trinity then began to enjoy a spell of pressure forcing Brig into defensive mode, James Pradic pulled off a fine save moments before the equaliser came on 70 minutes. Brig failed to clear a ball into the box and the resulting shot seemed to take a deflection before finding the back of the net.
Brig made two changes, on came Tunde and Marc Cullen to replace Danny Forbes and Danny Edwards. Tunde was quickly into the action as burst free down the left, cutting back along the byline, his low cross deflected out for a corner. The short corner led to Sky Sinclair whipping over a superb cross, a home defender got a touch with his head to the ball but it flashed just inches wide of the far post.
Another Brig cross from the left was then headed over by a defender as Brig looked for the winner. The hosts were still looking very dangerous but Brig were playing well and a Pottsy free kick some 40 yards from goal was just missed by Marc Cullen as he stretched to get on the end of it, the ball just skipping out of play.
Zack Kempster-Down then broke free down the left before striking a low shot that was well gathered by the keeper. Zak again moments later with another great run played the ball square across the box from the byline the incoming shot was well blocked and cleared.
That was to be the last action of an entertaining game played in a good spirit and Bamber Bridge were well worthy of at least the point they take back to Lancashire. Brig have had two extremely long and arduous journeys this week following Tuesday nights visit to the North East and Marske Utd. Just the one point to show for the two games but both performances were good and the team is beginning to gel. It’s a long hard season but we are certainly on the right lines. The games come thick and fast in the NPL and Bank Holiday Monday seer's us back at Irongate were Workington FC will be visitors. See you all there.
Full
Time: Gainsborough Trinity – 1 Bamber Bridge – 1
Bamber Bridge: Pradic, Kempster-Down, Thompson, Sinclair, Dodd ©, Butterworth, Benns, Potts, Scarborough, Forbes, Edwards
Substitutes: Cullen, Spencer-McDermott, Bayode, Churchman
Attendance: TBA
Bamber Bridge: Pradic, Kempster-Down, Thompson, Sinclair, Dodd ©, Butterworth, Benns, Potts, Scarborough, Forbes, Edwards
Substitutes: Cullen, Spencer-McDermott, Bayode, Churchman
Attendance: TBA
Tuesday 22nd August 2023
Northern Premier League
Marske United - 3 Bamber Bridge - 1
Bamber Bridge suffered their first defeat of the season as they went down 3-1 in The North East to struggling Marske United. A long 3 hour plus drive up to Teesside certainly didn’t aid the pre-match preparations for Brig, arriving at the ground just 40 minutes prior to kick off due to a traffic accident on the M1
Marske Utd having suffered three defeats in their three games so far this season ended that that run taking all the points in a match that Brig will consider they could have, and in truth should have, won.
Pre Match in the Marske Utd Clubhouse
A long stoppage on 7 minutes saw the home side forced into a change before moments later Jack Baxter had to be replaced as he couldn’t shake off an earlier knock, Danny Forbes coming on as his replacement.
Harry Scarborough had the first chance for the Lancashire Visitors striking a low shot from 12 yards only to see the home keeper dive right to push it away around the post for a corner. From that corner Danny Forbes watched on as his downward header bounced up beyond the keeper only to be headed clear off the line, the follow up shot deflected out for another corner as Brig began to dominate proceedings.
With Brig looking in full control, on 30 minutes, the inevitable happened, another long punt downfield from The Teesiders led to No.9 Boyes once again facing Pradic in a one to one face off, this time the home striker made no mistake drilling a low shot in to the bottom corner to give the home side the lead.
Pleasant evening on Teeside
Again Brig looked to gain control with their quick passing brand of football, the home side however were ever dangerous as they launched counter attacks with rapid pace. Pradic again having to be alert following a long ball dealing with a shot from, inside the penalty area. With half time approaching, Marc Cullen had a shot charged down before Pottsy saw a rising 20 yard shot clear the bar by inches. The half ended with another chance for the home side as a header from a corner seemed to clip the top of the crossbar.
The second half began as did the first with Bamber Bridge in control of possession passing the ball around but finding that final ball in to the strikers just eluding them. For all the possession of the visitors it was the home side with their direct style who looked the more dangerous and another long forward ball led to a shooting opportunity that just cleared the bar.
The Compact but very pleasant Mount Pleasant Stadium
On the hour Brig (in our opinion) should have been awarded a penalty, Danny Edwards racing across the box was tripped as he reached the ball first. The referee indicated a foul, the issue here being that the lines on the pitch were barely visible and the referee deemed that the foul took place outside the area. That he marked the position for the free kick 5 yards further out from where the foul actually occurred indicated that it should have been a spot kick. The free kick was headed clear by the first defender.
Mark Cullen was replaced by Tunde with 20 minutes remaining as Brig looked to push on and find the winner. Harry Scarborough drilled a near post shot wide as Brig continued to dominate possession. Danny Edwards then weaved across the penalty area before striking a shot that the keeper pushed on to the post before a defender hooked it clear.
Fading light and were are the markings on the pitch ?
A second Brig change saw Cian Spencer McDermott replace Lewis Thompson but just two minutes later, the home side secured all three points with a third goal. Again Boyes found himself in the clear with just the keeper to beat and he made no mistake burying the ball in the back of the net to claim his hat trick.
4 minutes of added time came and went with the hots calmly seeing out time to record their first points of the season. For Bamber Bridge, well we somehow engineered a defeat from a performance that deserved more. However it’s goals that win games and fair play to Marske United, they took their chances. Brig shouldn’t have lost this game and the disappointment at the end was palpable.
Nope, No lines on that side either !!
But that one has gone, and it’s on to Gainsborough Trinity on Saturday in what is sure to be another long distance difficult match.
Marske United – 3
Bamber Bridge – 1
Brig: Pradic, Thompson, Benns, Squires, Wilson ©, Baxter, Edwards, Potts, Cullen, Scarborough, Dodd
Subs: Butterworth, Spencer-McDermott, Forbes, Bayode
Att: 392
Northern Premier League
Matlock Town - 0 Bamber Bridge - 0
Bamber Bridge returned from the The Proctor Cars Stadium with a
valuable point following the goalless draw at the home of The
Gladiators of Matlock Town, A venue that has been notorious for it’s
lack of anything but a defeat over recent seasons saw Brig put on a
terrific performance from start to finish but just couldn’t unlock
the resolute defence of the home side. Matlock Town where reduced to
10 men midway through the second half but clung on (is clung actually
a word?), to take a point. This is a first, a Double decker Bus taking us to Derbyshire On arrival at the Stadium it was pouring down, misty and pretty grim but usual August UK weather, by kick off the sun was shining, but soon followed by more rain, and so it went on, round in circles all afternoon. Bamber Bridge playing in all yellow fielded no less than 7 players making their competitive debuts including Will Squires signed on Loan from Blackpool just this morning, along with 3 players making their 2nd debuts for the club.  The Proctor Cars Stadium     Half time drinks  OK, so the photo's are not in the correct order !!!  Gloomy weather for the second half
It was pretty much one way traffic as Bamber Bridge looked to gain from their one man advantage. A series of corners were cleared as the Gladiators defence did a sterling job of protecting their goal. Louis Holt came closest to breaking the deadlock as his low daisy-cutter from the edge of the box was well saved by the keeper. Brig made a third change on 80 minutes with Harry Benns replacing Lewis Thompson. The pressure was ever present from Brig but the luck just wasn’t on our side as the ball was zipped around the penalty area but every deflection seemed to fall the way of a home defender to clear the ball. Danny Edwards came close on 90 minutes as he skipped into the penalty area from the right, his hard low shot again well parried by the Town keeper. Five added minutes of stoppage time came and went with Brig forcing 3 more corners before the referee brought proceedings to a close with the game ending in a goalless draw.  We are leaving with a point
Full Time: Matlock Town – 0 Bamber Bridge – 0
Bamber Bridge: Pradic, Challoner, Thompsn, Squires, Wilson ©,
Butterworth, Spencer-McDermott, Potts, Holt, Baxter, Dodd
Substitutes: Edwards, Churchman, Benns, Forbes, Bayode
Att: 695
|
