The Bet Victor Northern Premier League.- Saturday 1st February 2020

Nantwich Town – 3 Bamber Bridge – 2

Bamber Bridge’s winless run at The Weaver Stadium, Home of Nantwich Town continued with a 3- 2 defeat in the archetypal game of two halves. The gale force wind blowing end to end of the pitch having a major impact on proceedings from start to finish.

It’s fair to say that as the first half got underway and the hosts pegged Brig back for almost the entire 45 minutes, The Brig fans behind the goal simply hadn’t accounted for the conditions. Protected by a large bank of trees behind the boundary wall of the ground, the wind just wasn’t noticeable. Hence some harsh and ultimately unwarranted criticism of the teams first half display.

Right from the kick off the home side used the afore mentioned (unnoticed) wind to their advantage pinning Bamber Bridge back. Brig on the odd occasion when they did get forward were sloppy in possession and the ball was quickly returned to the other end.

Danny Roccia, who made several top drawer saves in the first half was called into action in the 5th minute, superbly diving to his right to save a 20 yard piledriver. Brig responded, and a neat interchange of passes between Chris Marlow and Richie Allen saw the ball squared across the box but as Chris Churchman shaped to shoot he was dispossessed and the chance was gone. The home side were then forced into an early Change on 12 minutes when ex PNE legend Ricardo Fuller (Now 40) came on for the injured Sean Cook.

Nantwich Town continued to dominate and should have taken the lead from a free kick close to the left touchline, As the ball was whipped into the box, the home striker was afforded a free header which sailed over the bar.

On 25 minutes Danny Roccia again saved the visitors with another top drawer save pushing away a 25 yard free kick. Richie Allen then had a shooting opportunity on a rare Brig breakaway but his shot from the left of the penalty area cleared the bar by some distance. On 35 minutes Roccia was once again the difference between the two sides as he somehow got his hands to a close range volley, pushing it wide of the post and out for a corner.

With 40 minutes on the clock Brig were looking good to get to the half time break with the scores level, but the home sides relentless attacking eventually bore fruit. A cross was launched in from the right, Danny Roccia went for the ball but it seemed to slip from his grasp under a challenge from Fuller, the ball landing at the feet of David Webb who simply swept it home to give The Dabbers the lead.

Almost straight from Brig restarting the game the home side doubled their lead. Conceding possession and a corner, A scramble and pinball in the box led to the ball being poked home from close range and suddenly Brig had a 2^nd half mountain to climb.

As we walked around the pitch at half time it became noticeable just how windy it actually was. And has the 2nd half got underway it took the Lancashire side just 4 minutes take advantage. The home keeper claimed the ball from a Bamber Bridge corner, as he launched the ball high into the air, the wind took hold and turned it back towards his own goal. Quick as a flash, Daniel Wisdom was on to it and as the keeper advanced he coolly lobbed it over his head. The ball dropping sublimely into the back of the net. Game on !!

With tails up Brig went on the offensive, A Richie Allen left wing cross to the far post was missed by mere millimetres as Sheldon Green slid in. the ball just going wide of the post. Joe Booth came on for Rowan Roache in midfield as Bamber Bridge dominated proceedings. A superb passing move between several players saw a Chris Churchman cross from the left cause mayhem in the home defence. A scramble ensued before Nantwich were able to clear the ball. The strength of the gale was apparent moments later when a Danny Roccia clearance from inside his own penalty area was caught at the other end by the home keeper.

Bamber Bridge made their second change on 75 minutes, new signing George Thomason (on loan from Bolton Wanderers) coming on to replace the hard working Chris Churchman. Brig continued to search for the equaliser, several corners were won and cleared as the home side sat deeper and deeper trying to protect their lead. It was looking like they would achieve just that until on 85 minutes following a long ball down the middle, the home keeper and the centre half got in a mix up, as the keeper hesitated Rich Allen Nipped between them and struck a fantastic volley from the edge of the box that whistled over the keepers head, crashing into the net off the underside of the bar.

2-2 and the debate on the terraces ranged from “We should take a point …. to…. No, we can win this”. With hindsight, shutting up shop and taking the point may well have been the right thing to do. As it was Brig threw the kitchen Sink at the Dabbers in pursuit of a winner. Brig forced a series of corners as we approached the final minute, from the last of these corners the keeper claimed the ball in mid air and launched it up field, catching Brig on the break. The ball was picked up by home striker Joe Mwasile, who ran at the heart of the Brig defence before squaring the ball to David Webb who squeezed it home to put the home side back in front.

A devastating blow to the visitors, having fought so hard to get back in to the match. In the 4 minutes of added time Brig went in search of another equaliser and forced two more corners, but the home side were not going to be denied and clung on to take the points.

So, another fruitless trip to the Weaver Stadium, my 4th to this Cathederal of football and we’ve lost the lot. Bamber Bridge can take heart from a sterling 2nd half fightback. But ulitimarwly it’s a defeat and another 3 goals conceeded on the road.

The defeat pushed Brig down two places to 15th in the League table. Next up it’s Grantham Town at home on Saturday 8th Feb and a real 6 pointer, with Brig currently 9 points ahead of the 2nd from bottom Gingerbread Men but having played 3 games more. If not a must win, it’s certainly a must not lose.

Full Time: Nantwich Town – 3 Bamber Bridge – 2

Att: 455

Bamber Bridge: Roccia, Thompson, Marlow, Spooner (Capt.), Charnock, Wisdom, Green, Dudley, Roache, Allen

Subs: Booth, Forbes, Doughty, Sumner Thomason