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Home > Archive > 2006-07 Season > Match Reports > Bradford Park Avenue (19.09.06)

2006-2007 Season

Match Reports

Bamber Bridge 1 Bradford Park Avenue 1

Northern Premier League 1st Division

at Irongate

Saturday 23rd September 2006

By Dave Rowland

Bradford Park Avenue will feel mightily relieved to have returned back over the Pennines with a share of the spoils following a 1-1 draw at Irongate last night after Bamber Bridge had turned them over in a one sided second-half. The sides had gone in at the interval with a penalty goal each in an evenly contested first-half.

Despite back-to-back relegations in the past couple of seasons, the West Yorkshire side are one of the favourites for promotion from the First Division this term and have started the season well.

Both sides were looking to bounce back following home defeats on Saturday - Bamber Bridge going down 0-1 at Irongate to Welshmen Colwyn Bay and Avenue losing a top-of-the-table clash at their Horsfall Stadium by 1-3 against an improving Eastwood Town.

Andy Whittaker made just the one change to his starting line-up from Saturday’s game against Colwyn Bay, preferring Steven Brown to Tom Ince in mid-field, Ince taking his place on the substitutes bench. Defender Allan Fleming returned after a period out with back problems and started on the bench.

An evenly balanced start, which saw each side probing for an opening, suddenly sprung to life on 5 minutes when a good combination of passes between Alex Porter and Greg Brickell penetrated the visitors back line. Ryan Salmon, who was the recipient of his two colleague’s good work saw his effort blocked. Salmon was again involved a couple of minutes later heading a superb Robin Myers cross just past the post with Avenue goalkeeper Piotr Skiba beaten.

At the other end a fine in-swinging cross by Liam Flynn just eluded both Lee Morris and Neil Ross who were within inches of connecting inside the six-yard box.

The visitors got their noses in front on 23 minutes from the penalty spot after Ross Bain was, somewhat harshly, adjudged to have upended David Cooke just inside the area. There was also a suspicion that the Bradford player may have been off-side. Be as it may, Neil Ross converted the spot kick, sending Brig goalkeeper David Newnes the wrong way.

Porter and Steve Brown constantly probed either flank as the home team went in search of the equaliser. Brickell set Brown up with a neat through pass on 35 minutes but the mid-fielder just failed to reach the ball before Skiba snuffed out the danger.

Bamber Bridge got their reward on the stroke of half-time when Skiba clumsily brought down Brickell whilst making a hash of dealing with an awkwardly bouncing ball. Porter unleashed a ferocious spot kick that went in off the underside of Skiba’s outstretched body.

The second period was to prove infinitely one sided and Brig showed their intentions as early as the 48th minute when Brickell shot into the side netting from an acute angle after determinedly working his way through a cluster of Bradford defenders.

Brig were now forcing the pace and the visitors were having to do some desperate defending, being confined to occasional breakaways. One such arrived on 55 minutes when their most prominent striker Neil Ross turned and shot from distance but Newnes was equal to the challenge.

Shortly afterwards a sweeping Brig move, arguably the best of the game, saw Danny Mahoney’s precision pass from distance put Brickell away down the left. His well hit cross was met by Porter who slammed his effort on goal only for Skiba to react smartly and save on the line.

Brig’s growing confidence and tenacity disturbed the visitors who became rattled and as a result made some unforced errors as they doggedly hung on. Porter in particular was Bradford’s tormenter-in-chief raiding swiftly and effectively down the left flank peppering in crosses at every opportunity. However, he fluffed his lines on 72 minutes blasting past an exposed goal at the far post after Brickell and Salmon had completely sliced open the Yorkshiremen’s rearguard.

Tall visiting central defender Lee Connor who had marshalled Brickell well in the first-half was now finding the Bamber Bridge front runner quite a handful.

Another expertly placed long range pass by Mahoney put Steve Brown through on goal shortly after but Skiba palmed over the mid-fielders rising shot.

Bamber Bridge were determined to get the breakthrough that their efforts justifiably deserved and went close twice more in the last ten minutes.

Reynolds found Brickell in space on 80 minutes but the strikers first touch let him down. Then Porter headed over a Brickell cross when he perhaps should have done better.

The visitors had the last say as the seconds ticked away and after Ross had shot hopelessly wide in a rare Bradford sortie, substitute Tom Greaves headed tantalisingly wide of Newnes right-hand goalpost following a Cooke free kick from out on the right.

This had been a good Bamber Bridge performance which deserved a better reward than the one point gained. Once again, as at Kidsgrove Athletic last week and more recently at home to Colwyn Bay on Saturday, the Irongate youngsters had displayed ample skill and shown plenty of effort with little reward for their endeavours. If they continue to play as well in future games it will only be a matter of time before the points start rolling in.

Bamber Bridge: Newnes, Myers, Archer (Fleming 49mins), Bain, K Brown, Reynolds, S Brown, Mahoney, Salmon, Brickell, Porter (Ince 83mins). Unused Sub: Noon

Goals: Porter penalty (45 mins)

Attendance: 160