Bamber Bridge were beaten 2-1 at The Proctor Car Sales Stadium, home of League leaders Matlock Town on Saturday afternoon. The top of the table clash certainly lived up to the pre-match expectations and produced a superb advert for the Northern Premier League.

The game started with the home side going straight on to the offensive. Their direct style of play saw the Brig backline put under heavy pressure in the opening minutes with a series of crosses and long balls in to the penalty area. The Lancashire visitors looked to have weathered the early storm when The Gladiators took the lead in the 10^th minute. A Bamber Bridge attack and shot from Paul Dawson was blocked and following a lightening quick breakaway down the right, the ball was switched inside where Mateusz Hewelt made a fine save to stop the initial shot before the rebound was stabbed home from close range.

Minutes later and Bamber Bridge were forced into an early change. Nathan Pond picking up a nasty looking hand injury that needed an urgent visit to A+E at Chesterfield Royal Hospital. Fin Sinclair- Smith coming on for the unfortunate Pondy.

Bamber Bridge responded well to the set back and could have equalise on 15 minutes. A back pass was badly sliced by thr home keeper with the ball dropping to Fin Sinclair-Smith on the edge of the penalty. Unfortunately on this occasion Fins first touch let him down and the ball squirmed away giving the keeper that chance to redeem himself and dive on the ball to make the save.

It was Fin just a few minutes later who came close again, A superb right wing cross from Isaac Sinclair was flicked on in the 6 yard box to Fin at the Far post, the keeper again diving at the Brig wingers feet as he shaped to shoot.

Paul Dawson then met another fine cross from the right with a glancing header that flashed just wide of the post. At the other end Matlock, looking very sharp carved out a great opportunity for a second goal but the shot was ballooned over the bar from 15 yards. Isaac Sinclair had a great low shot blocked before a 2^nd follow up effort was also blocked, superb defending to be fair.


The game was swinging from end to end with Bamber Bridge looking to play their neat passing game, whilst the home side were intent on getting the ball in to the Brig penalty area at the earliest opportunity. The Brig back line defending stoutly against a barrage of crosses and long throw ins.

As the half drew to a close, the home side looked to be turning the screw and really pushed the Irongate visitors back but the visitors held out to the break.

Bamber Bridge started the second half very well and had a chance to equalise in the 47^th minute. A Mark Yeates raid down the left wing saw him play the ball inside, it was moved on to Fin who struck a low shot from 18 yards. The home keeper getting down well to make the save. Moments later and again Fin fired in a shot from wide on the left of the box that was deflected wide for a corner. Paul Dawson then got a good head to a right wing cross but the ball sailed over the bar.

Brig were passing the ball around sweetly but The Gladiators were resolute in defence and on numerous occasions the final ball was cut out or the cross was blocked. The work rate of the Matlock side was phenomenal as they hunted in packs to close down every Brig attack.

As often seems to happen, with Bamber Bridge unable to make the breakthrough, the home side with their first real attack of the half, doubled their advantage. On 62 minutes, a deep cross form the right was headed home from close range leaving Brig with a mountain to climb. Matlock should have made it three on 70 minutes when what looked a certain goal from just 5 yards out was miskicked, allowing the ball to be hooked clear.

A minute later and Brig were handed a lifeline. Matt Thompson was tripped in the penalty area and Paul Dawson stepped up to send the keeper the wrong way and plant the ball in bottom corner of the net.

A change on 78 minutes saw PNE loanee Jacob Holland-Wilkinson, who had worked his socks off, replaced by Craig Carney. It had been a baptism of the fire for the young North End player against a strong Matlock centre back pairing. His performance bodes well for future games in the white shirt of Bamber Bridge.


As the game approached the final minutes, Matlock looked to slow down the game as Brig pushed for the equaliser. Try as they might, there was no way through for Bamber Bridge as they were kept at arms length by the solid Gladiators defence.

Full time and Matlock take the points in this top of the table clash. On balance, probably deserved as they created the clearer chances. Bamber Bridge can be pleased with the performance however. Always looking to the play the ball on the ground and playing some very good football. A really entertaining game and Matlock Town will certainly take some stopping. For Brig, we dust ourselves down and look forward to welcoming Stalybridge Celtic to The Sir Tom Finney Stadium next Saturday.

As for Pondy, Well he was driven to Chesterfield Hospital by a Matlock fan. Well done to that lady. Non League football eh? Well, we couldn’t just leave him there, so the team coach was diverted to the town with the crooked spire were Nathan was waiting with his bandaged up fingers.

Full Time: Matlock Town – 2 Bamber Bridge – 1

Bamber Bridge: Hewelt, Thomson, Higham, Spooner, Pond, Wilson (Capt.), Sinclair, Martin, Holland-Wilkinson, Yeates, Dawson (P)

Subs: Sinclair-Smith, Skinner, Carney, Thompson, Dawson (A)

Att: 836

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Bamber Bridge returned from Stainton Park, home of Radcliffe FC on Tuesday evening with all 3 points following a superb 3-2 victory, decided by a sublime finish from Brig debut striker Jake Thompson.

Up The Brig !!

The game started in a frantic fashion with both sides looking to attack at every opportunity. The hosts had the better of the opening exchanges and took the lead on 11 minutes. A Brig free kick was cleared and a swift Boro break down the left wing saw a fine save from Bamber Bridge keeper Mateusz Hewelt, but the ball landed kindly at the feet of Boro striker Callum Gribbin who made no mistake, slamming the ball in the bottom corner.

Brig responded almost immediately and just 30 seconds later it was 1-1. A long ball forward was chased down by Nathan Pond playing upfront, Pondy beat the advancing keeper to the ball and as the keeper clattered into the Brig No.9 he managed to poke the ball past him, it seemed to take an age for the ball to reach cross the goal-line, but it did and Brig were level.

The game was swinging from end to end with The Lancashire visitors having the best of the chances. Fin Sinclair–Smith challenged for, and won the ball in the penalty area before firing a shot from the right, across the goal, missing the far post by inches. But on 28 minutes Brig took the lead. A fine move from left to right found Isaac Sinclair 25 yards from goal. The Brig wide-man, cut inside from the right before smashing the ball home off the inside of the far post for a superb goal.

Stainton Park

Moments later and it was almost 3 for Bamber Bridge. Isaac Sinclair again, this time chesting the ball down on the edge of the area before striking an exquisite volley that looked a certain goal until the Boro keeper dived to his left to make a Worldie of a save pushing the ball over the bar for a corner.

With chances coming thick and fast, Fin was next up, shooting inches wide again from 10 yards. As the half neared its end Mark Yeates chased down a weak backpass but the home keeper arrived just in time to clear the danger for the home side.

The half time whistle arrived ending what had been a superb 45 minutes of football. A credit to both sides and The Northern Premier League, with Brig leading 2-1

The second half started in a much calmer fashion. The home side began to dominate possession as they looked for the equaliser. Mateusz Hewlet was forced into an early save as the hosts pressed the visitors back. A Bamber Bridge free kick in a dangerous position at the edge of the penalty area struck the wall and was cleared as the home side continued to have much of the possession without really troubling the Brig goal. A change in personnel on 65 minutes saw Adam Dawson replace Chris Churchman.

The Boro equaliser however arrived on 67 minutes from the penalty spot. By now, a swirling fog was beginning to envelop the Stainton Park Ground and it was difficult from my vantage point at one end of the ground to know what the penalty was awarded for. The spot kick however was dispatched into the back of the net to level the scores.

Match action at Radcliffe

Bamber Bridge made a further change with new signing Jake Thompson replacing Fin Sinclair-Smith. The game was now becoming increasingly difficult to report on as the fog thickened and we could barely see the goalposts at the far end of the pitch. Bamber Bridge started to impose themselves on the home side and a free kick wide on the left caused confusion in the home defence before the ball was hooked clear. Brig made a 3^rd change on 80 minutes, Craig Carney replacing the hard working Mark Yeates.

On 86 minutes Brig took the lead again. A fine move saw the ball swept wide left to Jake Thompson who cut inside into the penalty area before curling a fabulous effort into the far corner of the net giving the home keeper no chance. It was the first effort on target of the half for Bamber Bridge, but what a time to do it. The fog by now was getting thicker and thicker and a concern amongst the Brig supporters was would the game finish. The referee added 4 minutes of which we could see nothing beyond the half way line. We didn’t see the referee blow the full time whislte but certainly heard it, bringing a roar of delight from the Brig fans behind the goal.

A very foggy view

A superb 3 points for Bamber Bridge against a very decent Radcliffe team. The second half not quite living u to the first, but in truth that was an excpetioanl 45 minutes of football. But Brig march on, and anotehr mouth watering clash with FC United of Manchester awaits on Saturday at The Sir Tom Finney Stadium. Bamber Bridge are surpassing all expectations so far this season and tonight was another superb all-round performance.

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Bamber Bridge returned from what seems to be the annual New Years Day trip to Cantilever Park. Home of Warrington Town, with nothing to show from a spirited but ultimately fruitless performance, resulting in a 4-1 reverse.

Brig had started well on an unseasonably mild afternoon on the banks of the River Mersey in the Cheshire Riviera. Some neat passing football from the visitors saw 3 or 4 decent efforts from distance but in truth the Warrington Keeper remained pretty much untroubled as the home side kept Brig at arms length for much of the match.

A fine sweeping move down the right wing led to Adam Dawson whipping in a low cross, the keeper diving across his goal to cut out the danger. Dawson again on 20 minutes struck a superb 20 yard effort from the right hand side of the penalty area, it flashed inches wide as the keeper dived to cover his goal.


The Lancashire visitors were doing much of the early pressing but Warrington always looked lively on the break as they whipped over several dangerous crosses that the Brig back line initially dealt with. Dawson again from the right wing created another opportunity, this time is inswinging cross was half cleared to Fin Sinclair-Smith, who controlled the ball before letting fly with a low shot that again was just wide of the target. The best chance of the game fell to Bamber Bridge on 35 minutes. The home keeper miskicking a clearance straight to Aaron Skinner, The Brig midfielder lobbed it back towards goal with the keeper back peddling and scrambling cross his goal. Once again though Brig failed to hit the target as the ball went narrowly wide.

Brig were made to rue the missed opportunities just moments later when a long cross from the right for the home side was met with a fine header at the far post and headed back across goal into the far corner. Just a minute later and it could have been 2 for the Cheshire outfit. Again a cross from the right and a free header inside the penalty area sailed over the bar.

The second half stated with Brig again pushing forward and the equaliser almost arrive on 48 minutes, a deep cross from the right looking for Nathan Pond was slightly too high, Pondy got a glancing header to the ball directing it towards Craig Carney, who from an acute angle lashed it goalwards only to see the ball cannon away to safety off the face of the bar. Dan Martin was next to try his luck from distance for The Briggers, controlling a half cleared inswinging cross and looking to curl a shot towards the top corner. The Warrington keeper was alert however and made the save look very comfortable as he palmed the ball down before gathering it in.


Fin-Sinclair saw another shot from distance sail over the bar before on 61 minutes The home side doubled their lead. Again Brig were caught out with a long deep cross, this time headed back cross goal at the far post before being bundled home at the near post. Before Bamber Bridge had any opportunity to compose themselves it was 3-0 and the match was effectively over. A neat pass cut through the Brig backline before a cross was controlled slid past Brig keeper Mateusz Hewelt. Brig made a change bringing on Sam Billington for his debut, replacing Craig Carney.

The next attack from Brig may well have seen a penalty awarded. Fin Sinclair- Smith looked to have been upended as he dribbled into the box from the right. The referee deemed the challenge fair and awarded Brig a corner kick. This was cleared and to rub salt into the wound, the home broke away rapidly and were themselves awarded a penalty for a challenge that looked remarkably similar to the Brig claim moments earlier. Pondy receiving a yellow card for making that very point. The penalty kick was duly dispatched giving the home side a 4-0 lead with almost 20 minutes still to play.

Bamber Bridge needed to dig in and show some character and to be fair that’s what they did. Danny Forbes came on to replace Adam Dawson and made a good impact. Danny almost pulled one back immediately, receiving the ball with his back to goal just inside the area, a smart turn and a shot that flashed across the goal missing the far post by inches. On 81 minutes Brig pulled a goal back, Danny Forbes played the ball wide to the right, the low cross was blocked but Isaac Sinclair reacted quickly to divert the ball home via a deflection. Brig were showing some real spirit and it was Danny Forbes again on 85 minutes who was upended on the edge of the penalty area. Dan Martin took the free kick but it unfortunately struck Nathan Pond on its way towards goal enabling the home side to clear.


Chris Churchman replaced Fin Sinclair Smith as the home side seemed content to see out the remaining minutes. Danny Forbes was unlucky not to pull a second goal back for Bamber Bridge when he volleyed a superb Pondy knock down from 10 yards only to see the ball deflected just inches wide of the post with the keeper stranded. Sam Billington saw a curling effort just clear the bar before the referee brought the game to an end.

A 4-1 defeat for Brig and there is no doubt the home side deserved the points simply because they took their chances when they came and in truth kept Brig at bay ensuring most of the chances for the visitors came from long shots. Most of which failed to hit the target. Brig showed plenty of fight and character in the closing stages. Danny Forbes coming on and adding some bite and making a fine late contribution.

There is no doubt that the loss of both Blackpool FC loan players Ewan Bange and Rob Apter and their combined 19 goals between them are being missed. Any side would miss that sort of contribution. But Brig are still playing pleasing on the eye football and it was noticeable at the end of today's match that the travelling Brig support gave their team a great ovation.

Next up for Brig is another difficult looking fixture as Buxton visit Irongate. This really is a tough league and we must remember that Bamber Bridge currently sit in 4^th position more than half way through the season. A remarkable achievement from the Manager, Coaching staff and players.

Full Time: Warrington Town – 4 Bamber Bridge – 1

Att: 842

Bamber Bridge: Hewelt, Wilson (Capt), Spooner, Coulton, Pond, Dawson, Carney, Martin, Sinclair, Skinner, Sinclair-Smith

Subs: Churchman, Forbes, Billington, Cottom