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Home > Archive > 2006-07 Season > Match Reports > Witton Albion (06.01.07)

2006-2007 Season

Match Reports

Bamber Bridge 2 Witton Albion 3

Northern Premier League Challenge Cup 3rd Round

at Irongate

Saturday 6th January 2007

By Dave Rowland

Witton Albion proved too stiff an opposition for the First Division side in this thrilling and evenly fought Third Round League Challenge Cup tie, grabbing the winner in the closing minutes of the game to break the hearts of their gallant hosts. Although looking the stronger of the two sides, Albion could not relax for a minute as Bamber Bridge threatened throughout. With four debutants in their line-up the Lancashire side fought back from two goals down early in the game to regain parity just before the break to set up an intriguing second half battle.

This tie had all the makings of a thriller with in-form Premier Division side Witton Albion hoping to claim a place in the 4th Round at the expense of their First Division hosts. The Cheshire side arrived at Irongate on a high after completely demolishing Clitheroe 8-1 in the previous round of the competition. On the other hand Bamber Bridge were hoping to extend a good run which has seen the South Ribble side lose just two of their previous eight league and cup games. They were also looking to remain undefeated since Phil Entwistle took charge of first team affairs during Christmas week following the departure of manager Andy Whittaker.

The Brig line-up included four debutants. Full-back Stuart Horn made his first start replacing the injured James Archer, whilst former Clitheroe striker Ian Johnson was preferred to lead the line over Niel Spencer who was named as one of the substitutes. Loan signings from Morecambe Jon Smith and Paul Lloyd took their places in midfield instead of the injured Danny Mahoney and Tom Ince who was named as a sub.

The pitch was sticky following a continuous downpour during the morning and the visitors came out of the blocks first with a storming opening which produced two goals within the first 15 minutes.

After only three minutes of play a sweeping Alex Brown free-kick caused all sorts of problems for the Brig defence and Adam Warlow was first to react touching the ball home from close range.

Before the home side had time to get their act together they found themselves two goals down. A superb through ball from distance by Brown completely opened up the home defence and Carl Frost ran on to fire confidently past the stranded David Newnes in the Bamber Bridge goal.

Despite this devastating set-back and to their credit the First Division side refused to roll over and die. Alex Porter and Ryan Salmon were constantly causing problems at the back for Albion with some telling runs. After Brig central defender Allan Fleming saw his header cleared from the goal line the home team struck back with a vengeance scoring twice in as many minutes to completely turn the game on it‘s head.

In the 35th minute Albion full-back Darren Hockenhull brought Alex Porter down inside the penalty area and the flying wingman dusted himself down before dispatching the resultant spot-kick with confidence beyond goalkeeper Jon Kennedy‘s despairing dive for his 15th goal of the season. Two minutes later and the Lancastrians were back on level terms when Porter turned provider when his neat cross from the left found Salmon in space and the young Brig striker slotted the ball past Kennedy as the keeper came out to narrow the angle.

The second half was an evenly balanced game with both sides going close on several occasions although the visitors had the edge. Indeed, it was turning out to be an enthralling cup-tie.

Lively Albion wingman Robb Lloyd fired in a corner on 65 minutes and Tony Barras was unlucky to see his effort touched round the post for a corner by the Brig defence. From the resultant flag kick Albion’s man-of-the-match Shaun Miller forced a brilliant save out of Newnes.

At the other end Porter and Salmon continued to pull the Albion defence apart with some penetrating play and Porter came ever so close after 70 minutes when he fired a shot just over the crossbar following an Edmeads free-kick.

The Premier Division side pushed forward at every opportunity and were well served by Lloyd and the energetic Miller who probed the home defence effectively. However, Brig remained a constant threat and the Albion rearguard were having to work overtime to quell the menace posed by Porter and Salmon.

A Lloyd free-kick was headed onto a post by veteran Brian Pritchard on 75 minutes as the visitors stepped up a gear.

They made their superiority count just before full-time with Pritchard again involved. He ran on to a defence splitting through-ball from midfield before setting up Warlow who fired home the winner much to the relief and delight of the away following.

It had been a close run thing and Albion go into the Fourth Round draw but it could so easily have been Bamber Bridge through to the next stage of the competition and they can justifiably feel that they had been unlucky.

Bamber Bridge: Newnes, Myers, Horn, Fleming, Melling, Edmeads, Lloyd (Ince 70mins), Smith, Johnson (Spencer 82mins), Salmon, Porter. Unused Sub: Gallagher

Goals: Salmon (37 mins), Porter (38 mins)

Attendance: 176