Saturday 7th September 2019….. FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round

                         Trafford – 3 Bamber Bridge – 0

The Bamber Bridge 2019 / 2020 FA Cup campaign started and ended at Shawe View, home of Trafford FC on Saturday afternoon. Brig went out with little more than a whimper.

The opening minutes had looked promising for Bamber Bridge as they attacked from the kick off and for 10 minutes looked more likely than their Division One North West hosts to open the scoring. But, as seems to be more than just a coincidence, Brig having started the better of the two teams where the first to concede. From the moment the home side took the lead in the 24^th minute. The result was never in doubt. The home side looked fitter, sharper and certainly more determined than their Premier Division visitors.

A Brig attack broke down on the edge of the home sides penalty area, with little in the way of pressing, Trafford were able to pass the ball swiftly out of defence and launched a swift attack. Unchallenged, the ball found its way to Jake Kenny, who swept the ball home to give the Shawe View side the lead.

Moments later and it was almost two, as a free header from a left wing cross was headed over the bar from the centre of the goal. Brig simply could not get into any kind of rhythm and constantly gave the ball away or hit long aimless balls that were food and drink to the Trafford defence, When Brig did manage a shot on goal in the 41^st minute, the home keeper simply fell on to the ball. He wouldn’t have another save to make until the 86^th Minute.

With the visiting fans beginning to question the commitment of their team the home side doubled the lead. Another unchallenged attack from Trafford as they seemed to just stroll upfield before planting a shot into the bottom corner. That was virtually right on the half time whistle and the game was essentially over as a contest.

The second half began with Brig putting up something resembling a response. A Danny Forbes volley flew over the bar before Kieran Charnock hit the post with a downward header following a corner from the left. That was as good as it got as the home side weathered the storm and began to take charge again. Brig made two changes as Matt Dudley came on for Ryan White before Cameron Ross came on to play up front in place of Danny Forbes.

With Trafford now back in the ascendancy, the changes made little difference to the flow of the game and it came as no surprise when they added a third in the 85^th minute, Dotani Gabidon, given time and space at the far post to control the ball before curling a beauty in the top corner of the net.

A Cameron Ross shot in the 86^th minute forced the home keeper into his first meaningful save of the afternoon. The referee blew the final whistle and Brigs venture in this seasons FA cup had been snuffed out without a whimper. In truth Trafford had been quicker, sharper and far more focussed than their opponents from the league above. From a financial point of view, a real kick in the teeth for Bamber Bridge and a 4^th straight defeat on the road. A tough trip to Buxton awaits on Tuesday evening. A marked improvement will be required if Brig are to get anything from Silverlands.

Final score: Trafford – 3 Bamber Bridge – 0

Att: 298

Tuesday 10th September 2019

                 Buxton – 1 Bamber Bridge – 1

Bamber Bridge returned from the long mid week journey to Silverlands, home of Buxton FC with a point in the bag, the first on the road this season following a performance they can rightly claim, deserved all three. A late Chris Marlow goal rescued the point and sent the Brig fans home happy.

Showing just one change from last weekends cup defeat, Matt Dudley replacing Chris Marlow, Brig set off with a point to prove. An early move down the left wing ended with an Adam Sumner cross that just cleared the bar. Buxton responded and following a free kick that was initially cleared, they struck the cross bar. The game was swinging from end to end with the ball zipping about on the Silverlands 3g plastic pitch. Danny Forbes, found himself with the ball at his feet on the 6 yard line with his back to goal, as he turned to shoot, he lost his balance and the ball was cleared as far As Ali Waddecar, Ali swung over a superb cross from the right, and Matt Dudley was so unlucky to see his diving header hit the outside of the post.

Forbes again came close on 25 minutes as he cut inside from the right and curled a shot just a foot wide of the far post. With Brig having looked the more likely, the inevitable happened and Buxton took the lead on the half hour. Liam Hardy curling home a left foot shot from the edge of the box after finding time and space.

Now this is where the massive improvement from the weekends match occurred, Far from feeling hard done by, Brig rolled up their sleeves and came storming back, ending the half on top, three quick consecutive corners where cleared before Joe Booth was inches away from connecting with a low cross across the face of the goal, the ball rolling just wide of the post.

The second half started with Brig on the front foot, Kieran Charnock saw a flashing header zip just wide of the post from a free kick, Ryan White then tried his luck from 20 yards but his shot sailed over the bar. With Brig piling on the pressure, Matt Dudley was next to see his glancing header drop just wide. Ali Waddecar tormented the left back, turning him inside out before pulling the ball back to Joe Booth, but his shot was just too high and again cleared the bar.

It was nearly all one way traffic as Brig pressed and pressed for the deserved equaliser, the home side however still looked sharp on the break. Another Bamber Bridge corner and this time it was Joe Booth with the header that fell the wrong side of the post. Scott Harries came on in the 75th minute to replace Joe Booth as Brig’s dominance continued. However, for all the possession and all the chances, the home keeper was yet to be called upon to make any meaningful save. Chris Marlow came on for the last 10 minutes to replace Ryan White, and it was The King of Brig “Goose” who rose majestically in the 89th minute to nod home a Matt Dudley corner from the right. The Brig fans behind the goal celebrated wildly, but the Brig players sensed victory and threw the kitchen sink at their hosts in the remaining minutes.

Ali Waddecar smashed in a superb effort from the right wing that whistled past the post before a right wing cross was deflected over his own bar with a desperate lunge from a Buxton defender. Before Brig had chance to take the corner the referee brought proceedings to an end. The players looked disappointed not to have taken all three points. They can however, be rightly pleased with a performance of grit and determination. The Brig supporters behind the goal, rightly applauded their team off the pitch. A great point and a top performance to go with it.

Full Time: Buxton – 1 Bamber Bridge – 1

Att: 235

Bamber Bridge: Rigby, Churchman, Sumner, Lawlor (Capt.), Charnock, Booth, Waddecar, Wisdom, Dudley, Forbes, White

Subs: Doughty, Harries, Marlow, Ross, Barton

Wednesday 25th September 2019

The Lancashire Football Association Challenge Trophy 1st Round

                                   Longridge Town – 2 Bamber Bridge – 3

Bamber Bridge progressed into the next round of the LFA Challenge Trophy on Wednesday evening with a last gasp winner against Longridge Town in a ding dong battle at The MRG Stadium.

The first half saw the home side start the brighter of the two teams, as they confidently sprayed the ball around what looked a superb playing surface. Brig’s first threat on goal saw ex Bamber Bridge Keeper Lee Dovey, rise highest to punch a whipped in Chris Churchman cross clear and out for a throw in. Just moments later however the hosts took the lead. A long through ball had Brig keeper Danny Roccia rushing from his goal, Town striker Paul Turner reached it first and smartly rolled the ball passed the advancing keeper into the empty net.

Brig struggled to respond as Longridge confidently kept possession. Chances were few and far between for the visitors. Ryan White hit a low drive from a narrow angle but it curled wide of the post, Michael Fowler then tried his luck but his effort blazed well over the bar from the edge of the box. Town themselves weren’t creating much in the way of clear cut chances but came close to doubling their lead towards the end of the half as a shot from the edge of the area took a deflection and flashed past the post for a corner.

The half time whistle came at good time for Bamber Bridge, trailing by just the single goal, the 2nd half left all to play for, and as the teams emerged for the restart it was clear Brig looked a wounded animal as they surged forward right from the kick off. Just 90 seconds in and the scores were level, a scramble in the penalty area ended when Tom Walker drilled a 12 yard shot in to the back of the net. Tails up, Brig poured forward and almost took the lead just two minutes later. Michael Fowler controlled the ball at the far post turned and struck a low shot from close range that Dovey pushed around the post for a corner. From the resulting corner Phil Doughty powered in a fine header that again was well saved and palmed over the bar by Dovey.

Chris Marlow raced through the middle of the park before getting in a shot that was again saved by the Town stopper as he forced the ball out for another corner. Brig made a change just after the hour when Danny Forbes came on to replace Gary Pett. Moments later, a long through ball saw Ryan White racing towards goal, Dovey reacted quickly and got there first to clear the ball upfield, and from that clearance the home side took the lead again. A right wing run saw the ball played square into the path of Dan Birch who thumped it home to restore the home sides advantage.

Brig made a 2nd change as Phil Doughty came off to be replaced by Kieran Charnock and Five minutes later and it was all square again, this time Michael Fowler capitalising on a defensive mix up to steal the ball before drilling a superb shot across the face of goal and into the far corner. The match was now swinging from end to end as Ince’s effort for Longridge was deflected over the bar for a corner. Town then struck the post as a header from a fine cross came back off the upright into the grateful hands of Brig keeper Roccia.

With the game looking like it was heading to a penalty shoot out, Brig won a free kick 20 yards from goal. Up stepped Matt Dudley to strike a superb free kick over the wall and into the bottom corner of the net. Brig were in front for the first time in the match with just two minutes remaining. It was almost level deep into stoppage time but Roccia made another fine save from a powerful strike. The resultant corner was cleared as the referee blew the final whistle.A fine second half fight back from Bamber Bridge against a very good Longridge Town team sees Brig into the hat for the next round of a competition that they reached the semi final of last season. A confidence booster as well before this weekends trip to face FC United of Manchester.

Full Time: Longridge Town – 2 Bamber Bridge – 3

Att: 215

Bamber Bridge: Roccia, Spooner, Sumner, Doughty, Churchman, Dudley, White, Walker, Fowler, Pett, Marlow

Subs: Rigby, Charnock, Forbes, Waddecar