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Home > Archive > 2006-07 Season > Match Reports > Bradford Park Avenue (16.10.06)

2006-2007 Season

Match Reports

Bradford Park Avenue 1 Bamber Bridge 0

Northern Premier League 1st Division

at Horsfall Stadium

Monday 16th October 2006

By Dave Rowland

Bamber Bridge can count themselves desperately unlucky after going down to a goal scored with virtually the last kick of the game at Bradford Park Avenue. The South Ribble lads had defiantly held their own against a side brimming with confidence following Avenue’s 7-3 drubbing of Clitheroe at the Horsfall Stadium on Saturday. This was an absorbing encounter from start to finish with plenty of good football played and despite the defeat the visiting side included many a hero on the night.

After a welcome break from duty at the weekend Bamber Bridge were looking to pick up the threads after having won their last two games in the First Division recently. Third placed Bradford Park Avenue were eager to continue the form which had seen them win with that remarkable score-line against the east Lancashire side on Saturday.

There was just one change to the Brig starting line-up from the game against Rossendale United the week before. Alex Porter took over the strikers roll from the unavailable Greg Brickell with full-back Allan Fleming taking his place on the bench.

Bradford Park Avenue showed plenty of determination in the early stages and demonstrated just why they are tipped as favourites to return to the Premier Division this season. Veteran striker Simon Parke narrowly headed over a Richard Chattoe cross after 4 minutes as the Yorkshiremen quickly got into their stride.

At the other end a Steve Brown corner caused some consternation in the home penalty box before the danger was cleared.

However, Avenue looked the stronger in the early stages and Tom Greaves was very unfortunate in the 13th minute when he struck the base of the goalpost with a rasping drive from twenty yards out with Brig goalkeeper David Newnes well beaten.

Bamber Bridge responded and two minutes later Porter saw his well placed free-kick touched round the post by alert full-back Steve Robinson.

Speedy wingman Liam Flynn, who was to torment the visitors all night, was beginning to cause problems down Brigs right flank with some jinking runs and as the pressure continued to mount Parke fired just over the bar from distance.

On 20 minutes Kevin Brown saved the day for the Lancastrians when denying Parke with a goal-line clearance after the home striker put in a goal-bound effort at the back post.

Brig were struggling to establish any sort of rhythm when going forward but defended stoutly in the face of determined opposition. They were well served at the back with steadfast performances by centre-backs Kevin Brown and Jamie Squires. Although little was seen of the visitors as an attacking force they did occasionally cause discomfort to the Avenue rearguard. This was exemplified on the half hour mark when a Porter corner created an almighty scramble in the home penalty box.

Some good work again by Parke came to nothing on 40 minutes as he forced his way through and Brig continued to frustrate all of the West Yorkshire sides well created endeavours.

Brig began to find their cohesion with some promising sorties just before the break with Steve Brown, Danny Mahoney and Paul Roberts being particularly impressive.

As at the start of the first half, Bradford opened the second strongly and an excellent run by Flynn created a golden opportunity for Parke but his first touch let him down and Newnes was able to snuff out the danger.

On 55 minutes Gary Shaw missed at the back post after Parke had knocked on a David Cooke corner from the right.

Avenue’s enterprising approach play continually broke down as Brig defended tenaciously but the home side came very close to scoring twice in as many minutes. On 65 minutes a Gary Shaw header was cleared off the line by the irrepressible Kevin Brown and then a cross from Neil Grayson was thundered over the Brig bar with Newnes rooted to the spot.

Newnes was called upon to make an excellent reflex save from a Neil Redfearn blockbuster on 69 minutes, whilst at the other end a Porter free-kick had to be dealt with by Avenue’s Polish goalkeeper Piotr Skiba.

Brig had a mighty let-off on 75 minutes when a Redfearn free-kick was headed onto his own crossbar by Kevin Brown although the Brig man must have known little about it. Then Newnes made the save of the night brilliantly diving to keep out a Redfearn goal-bound effort after a free-kick was tapped on to him by Lee Connor.

The visitors kept plugging away and went very close to snatching the points themselves twice within as many minutes. On 82 minutes Steve Brown saw his shot stopped by Skiba after substitute Karl Noon had carved out an opening and then Noon provided a guilt edged opportunity for Ryan Salmon who perhaps should done better than to fire straight at the exposed Skiba.

Newnes once again denied Simon Parke winning a one-on-one with the striker as he menacingly bore down on goal after 87 minutes.

Just when it looked as though Brig’s resistance would pay off with a deserved point, man-of-the-match Liam Flynn stepped in to break the Lancastrians hearts. Parke had forced his way through some determined defending and slid the ball into the path of the flying wingman who confidently drove home past the advancing Newnes in the dying seconds much to the delight of the relieved home support.

Bamber Bridge: Newnes, Bain (Noon 54mins), King, Squires, K Brown, Roberts, S Brown, Mahoney (Fleming 54mins), Salmon, Porter, Fletcher. Unused Sub: Reynolds

Goals: -

Attendance: 229