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Home > Archive > 2006-07 Season > Match Reports > Belper Town (04.11.06)

2006-2007 Season

Match Reports

Belper Town 1 Bamber Bridge 0

Northern Premier League 1st Division

at Christchurch Meadow

Saturday 4th November 2006

By Dave Rowland

It was a case of horses for courses at Christchurch Meadow as Bamber Bridge added to their dismal record at the Derbyshire venue with this 0-1 defeat against a workmanlike if unspectacular Belper Town side. A second-half goal by ‘Nailers’ former Gresley Rovers striker Steve Gomm was enough to inflict the ninth league defeat of the season on the punch-less South Ribble outfit. Brig were particularly out of sorts and gave a first-half display that is reminiscent of a team in relegation mode. Despite this, they were ultimately robbed of a point when an incredibly bad decision went against them late in the game.

Bamber Bridge were hoping that the fine midweek League Cup victory over Premier Division outfit Radcliffe Borough would inspire them to their first ever win at Belper Town. To date the South Ribble side have failed to gain a single point at the Derbyshire side‘s Christchurch Meadow ground. Brig are also keen to establish a modicum of consistency in the league after a recent run of patchy form which has left the club halfway down the First Division table. The ‘Nailers’ were desperate to arrest a recent dip in form which had seen them suffer disastrous defeats against fellow strugglers Goole and Warrington Town in their last two games in the league.

There was a number of changes to the team that had done so well during the week against Radcliffe Borough in the League Challenge Cup. James Archer came in at left-back with Mike Fletcher moving over to replace Neil Reynolds in midfield. Club captain Jamie Squires returned to the centre of the defence replacing newcomer George Melling who was named as a substitute and Karl Noon was preferred to Ryan Salmon in leading the front line, young Salmon taking his place on the bench.

The home team looked the busier in the opening stages of the game with Brig appearing somewhat hesitant. ‘Nailers’ captain Danny Hudson made a promising run at the Brig defence after 6 minutes but his shot fizzed narrowly over Dave Newnes goal. A Martin Drury cross found Kelvin Mushambi in space five minutes later but the strikers over-elaborate scissors kick flew across the face of goal and past the far upright.

The visitors tentatively began to work their way into the game and an Alex Porter cross was bundled narrowly over the crossbar by Noon with Brig’s first meaningful attack on 20 minutes. Shortly afterwards Noon nearly got the opener when taking advantage of some woeful defending but shot harmlessly past the post with Town goalkeeper Andy Carney exposed.

The home team began to apply some real pressure and ‘Nailers’ newcomer Gomm brought a fine diving save out of Newnes following a Drury free-kick out on the left. Newnes again came to the rescue on the half-hour mark tipping a Hudson drive at full stretch around the post for a corner. A Drury free-kick from 20 yards went just wide two minutes later but the Brig defence held firm as the pressure mounted.

Despite a less then inspirational showing in the opening 45 minutes Brig managed to finish the first half with a flurry. Noon put in an excellent cross on 39 minutes which Fletcher fired wildly over and then after another fine delivery from Noon, Greg Brickell failed to control the ball when well placed and the danger was cleared. Just before the interval Brickell scurried down the left of goal and his shot from a narrow angle was charged down by Town keeper Carney.

There was a distinct improvement to Brigs play in the second period after an inept first-half performance and Porter got the ball rolling with a powerful drive from distance on 47 minutes which Carney did well to hold.

At the other end a Luke Chambers long throw-in was lofted over the bar by the livewire Mushambi after 50 minutes but Brig responded well and Brickell hooked the ball just over after a fine through-ball by Porter had found him in space.

Despite this the game still lacked direction, incident, passion and most of all a goal. When a goal did finally arrive it was completely out of the blue.

A cross by ‘Nailers’ full-back Chambers on 61 minutes was collected by Gomm just inside the Brig penalty box and the big striker deftly curled his shot out of Newnes reach and into the corner of the net.

The goal brought the game to life and Brig began to put some sustained pressure on the home goal for the first time in the match. Indeed, they were controversially denied a seemingly legitimate goal on 70 minutes.

Kevin Brown took advantage of a slip by Town central defender Ashley Foyle and sent Ryan Salmon in on goal and although goalkeeper Carney got to the ball first he let it slip. Salmon gleefully smacked home the loose ball but to everybody’s astonishment the linesman raised his flag for offside. Salmon had clearly run onto the ball from an onside position and through the static ‘Nailers’ defence. The decision was a travesty!

Brig shrugged off the setback and plugged away manfully but their inaccurate passing let them down time and again. Sadly there was little cohesion to their play and the constant use of the long ball was neither accurate or effective.

On 85 minutes the hosts almost increased their lead when excellent work by man-of-the-match Mushambi set Andy Rushbury away down the left. The wingman sent in a pin-point cross but substitute Alex Steadman headed over when he should have done better.

Brig simply ran out of time and ideas after a performance they will surely want to forget.

Bamber Bridge: Newnes, Fleming, Archer, Squires, K Brown, Fletcher, S Brown (Salmon 65mins), Mahoney (Roberts 65mins), Noon, Brickell (Melling 69mins), Porter.

Goals: -

Attendance: 146