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Saturday 27th September 2025
Northern Premier League
Stockton Town - 2 Bamber Bridge - 2
by Alan Bateson
A game of two halves? This was more a game of four quarters, and for
the first three of those it was Stockton Town who looked set to raise
the Anchor and sail away with the three points.
But this Bamber Bridge squad are nothing if not resilient, and despite seeing very little of the ball in the first 70 minutes, Brig rallied late on to come away with a valuable point.
A three hour journey from Irongate and we arrived in good time to enjoy the hospitality of the Stockton Town Clubhouse. A very friendly place and a couple of excellent pints of Tiny Rebel Coal Drop Stout were quaffed before we made our way across the car park to the neat and tidy Map Group UK Stadium.
The match began with The Anchors (So nicknamed due to the Towns historic shipbuilding past) with the wind in their sails, It took just five minutes for them to use it to their advantage when Towns’ Glen Butterworth smashed an audacious 40 yard wind assisted shot that sailed over the outstretched hand of Aiden Dowling and dipped just under the crossbar. A stunning strike in fairness.
The lead certainly buoyed Stockton Town and they began to dominate possession, keeping Brig penned in at the back for pretty much the entirety of the first half. Chances were kept pretty much to a premium however, as the Brig defence battled hard against the onslaught and the wind. A second goal almost arrived for the home side when another long range effort, rebounded back off the post and safely in to the hands of The Brig keeper.
At the other end, half time was approaching before Brig were able to mount their first meaningful attack, a fine Adam Dodd run down the left saw him cut the ball back from the byline towards the near post were Ewan Bange just failed to get a touch as he stretched for the ball and the keeper gathered safely.
The thoughts among the handful of Briggers behind the goal were simply to get to the break with just a one goal deficit and come out with wind at our backs in the second half.
The second half began however, in much the same way the first had been. The Anchors seemingly unaffected by the wind in their faces and continuing to force Brig in to a defensive rearguard action. They were playing with energy and confidence and in fairness were looking the best side we have seen this season so far, and within minutes of the restart, Town had doubled their advantage. A surging left wing run led to a low cross that struck the post, the rebound being knocked home from close range.
A way back for Bamber Bridge at this stage of the match looked in fairness to be out of reach as the home side continued to dominate, Aiden Dowling made a fabulous save before The Anchors struck the post once again.
Now whether Stockton felt the game was won, or Brig just upped the tempo, the game changed dramatically from around the 70th minute, Kofi Moore started Brigs’ best move of the match as he raced down the left before cutting the ball back to Ewan Bange, who didn’t quite fully connect, allowing his shot to be hooked off the line, but Brig sensed their chance, and boy did they take it.
A Brig changes saw Mark Cullen replace Emerich Poilly and suddenly the flow of the game had changed. Bangey swiveled and struck a powerful shot that was well saved by the keeper. Brig forced a couple of corners in quick succesion and suddenly Stockton Town didn’t seem quite so comfortable.
Bamber Bridge were right back in it just seconds later. Kofi Moore picked up the ball outside the box on the left, and with power and purpose he drove in into the penalty area, side stepping and weaving between two defenders before planting a powerful low shot under the keeper. A superb solo goal.
Brig poured forward as the The Anchors began to look all at sea. Adam Dodd raced away down the left before cutting the ball BACK, form the byline where Mark Cullen was on hand to thump the ball home form 6 yards. The joy was short-lived however as the linesman had his flag up for offside. The decision was wrong as the ball from Doddy had quite clearly been played backwards.
Undeterred by this, Brig pushed on, this was an unbelievable change around in the match and the home side were now nervously clinging on to a lead that had looked unassailable just 10 minutes earlier. Jamie Allen crossed from the right, the ball beat the keeper and rebounded off the far post, Mark Cullen saw his follow up shot from the rebound blocked.
The equaliser arrived for Brig following another fine left wing move, the ball played inside to Ewan Bange who struck a fine shot that was brilliantly saved by the home keeper, the ball was hammered clear but not for long as Brig won it back and attacked down the right, a square pass found Nathan Okone, just on the edge of the penalty area, his sweetly struck low shot swept passed the diving keeper and into the bottom corner. 2-2
Isaac Modi and Harry Benns (Great to see Harry back), came on in the closing minutes as incredibly it was Brig who now sensed the chance of grabbing a winner. It was however The home side with the last chance as they struck the crossbar with the rebound being ballooned over the bar.
This one is for you Kev !!
Full time and Brig had taken a point from a game that had in truth looked lost with an hour gone. I suppose the old adage of a 2-0 lead is a dangerous lead, certainly ran true for Stockton Town. But a match lasts 90 minutes and Brig fought on the end, and were rewarded with an excellent point. I dare say, we’ll play better and lose at some point in the season, but that draw today felt like a win.
The players and staff came accross to the Brig fans and a team photo was taken with the supporters that was immediately sent on via Nick Boardman to Pat Walker, wife of Bamber Bridge legend supporter Kevin Walker who is currently recovering from Major Surgery in The Royal Preston Hospital. Kev had been kept updated during the match via his Good Lady, who raised a massive smile amongst us all when she said he had smiled and raised his thumb at the news of The Brig equaliser. Get well soon Kev.
We made our way back to The Clubhouse for a celebratory scoop. The long journey home didn’t seem quite so long after all.
But this Bamber Bridge squad are nothing if not resilient, and despite seeing very little of the ball in the first 70 minutes, Brig rallied late on to come away with a valuable point.
A three hour journey from Irongate and we arrived in good time to enjoy the hospitality of the Stockton Town Clubhouse. A very friendly place and a couple of excellent pints of Tiny Rebel Coal Drop Stout were quaffed before we made our way across the car park to the neat and tidy Map Group UK Stadium.
The match began with The Anchors (So nicknamed due to the Towns historic shipbuilding past) with the wind in their sails, It took just five minutes for them to use it to their advantage when Towns’ Glen Butterworth smashed an audacious 40 yard wind assisted shot that sailed over the outstretched hand of Aiden Dowling and dipped just under the crossbar. A stunning strike in fairness.
The lead certainly buoyed Stockton Town and they began to dominate possession, keeping Brig penned in at the back for pretty much the entirety of the first half. Chances were kept pretty much to a premium however, as the Brig defence battled hard against the onslaught and the wind. A second goal almost arrived for the home side when another long range effort, rebounded back off the post and safely in to the hands of The Brig keeper.
At the other end, half time was approaching before Brig were able to mount their first meaningful attack, a fine Adam Dodd run down the left saw him cut the ball back from the byline towards the near post were Ewan Bange just failed to get a touch as he stretched for the ball and the keeper gathered safely.
The thoughts among the handful of Briggers behind the goal were simply to get to the break with just a one goal deficit and come out with wind at our backs in the second half.
The second half began however, in much the same way the first had been. The Anchors seemingly unaffected by the wind in their faces and continuing to force Brig in to a defensive rearguard action. They were playing with energy and confidence and in fairness were looking the best side we have seen this season so far, and within minutes of the restart, Town had doubled their advantage. A surging left wing run led to a low cross that struck the post, the rebound being knocked home from close range.
A way back for Bamber Bridge at this stage of the match looked in fairness to be out of reach as the home side continued to dominate, Aiden Dowling made a fabulous save before The Anchors struck the post once again.
Now whether Stockton felt the game was won, or Brig just upped the tempo, the game changed dramatically from around the 70th minute, Kofi Moore started Brigs’ best move of the match as he raced down the left before cutting the ball back to Ewan Bange, who didn’t quite fully connect, allowing his shot to be hooked off the line, but Brig sensed their chance, and boy did they take it.
A Brig changes saw Mark Cullen replace Emerich Poilly and suddenly the flow of the game had changed. Bangey swiveled and struck a powerful shot that was well saved by the keeper. Brig forced a couple of corners in quick succesion and suddenly Stockton Town didn’t seem quite so comfortable.
Bamber Bridge were right back in it just seconds later. Kofi Moore picked up the ball outside the box on the left, and with power and purpose he drove in into the penalty area, side stepping and weaving between two defenders before planting a powerful low shot under the keeper. A superb solo goal.
Brig poured forward as the The Anchors began to look all at sea. Adam Dodd raced away down the left before cutting the ball BACK, form the byline where Mark Cullen was on hand to thump the ball home form 6 yards. The joy was short-lived however as the linesman had his flag up for offside. The decision was wrong as the ball from Doddy had quite clearly been played backwards.
Undeterred by this, Brig pushed on, this was an unbelievable change around in the match and the home side were now nervously clinging on to a lead that had looked unassailable just 10 minutes earlier. Jamie Allen crossed from the right, the ball beat the keeper and rebounded off the far post, Mark Cullen saw his follow up shot from the rebound blocked.
The equaliser arrived for Brig following another fine left wing move, the ball played inside to Ewan Bange who struck a fine shot that was brilliantly saved by the home keeper, the ball was hammered clear but not for long as Brig won it back and attacked down the right, a square pass found Nathan Okone, just on the edge of the penalty area, his sweetly struck low shot swept passed the diving keeper and into the bottom corner. 2-2
Isaac Modi and Harry Benns (Great to see Harry back), came on in the closing minutes as incredibly it was Brig who now sensed the chance of grabbing a winner. It was however The home side with the last chance as they struck the crossbar with the rebound being ballooned over the bar.
This one is for you Kev !!
Full time and Brig had taken a point from a game that had in truth looked lost with an hour gone. I suppose the old adage of a 2-0 lead is a dangerous lead, certainly ran true for Stockton Town. But a match lasts 90 minutes and Brig fought on the end, and were rewarded with an excellent point. I dare say, we’ll play better and lose at some point in the season, but that draw today felt like a win.
The players and staff came accross to the Brig fans and a team photo was taken with the supporters that was immediately sent on via Nick Boardman to Pat Walker, wife of Bamber Bridge legend supporter Kevin Walker who is currently recovering from Major Surgery in The Royal Preston Hospital. Kev had been kept updated during the match via his Good Lady, who raised a massive smile amongst us all when she said he had smiled and raised his thumb at the news of The Brig equaliser. Get well soon Kev.
We made our way back to The Clubhouse for a celebratory scoop. The long journey home didn’t seem quite so long after all.
