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Home > Archive > 2006-07 Season > Match Reports > Cammell Laird (22.08.06)

2006-2007 Season

Match Reports

Bamber Bridge 1 Cammell Laird 1

Northern Premier League 1st Division

at Irongate

Tuesday 22nd August 2006

By Dave Rowland

Bamber Bridge entertained new boys Cammell Laird who proved to be an altogether different proposition to Saturday’s opponents Harrogate Railway Athletic who are also spending their first term in the Unibond League following promotion from the feeders at the end of last season.

The Wirral side won the North West Counties League by a mile last season despite being deducted six points for a breach of league regulations and they came to Irongate on a high after comfortably dispatching Yorkshire outfit Ossett Albion 3-1 at home on Saturday in their first game of the new campaign.

It was to prove a stern test for Andy Whittaker’s braves as the visitors opened proceedings with a good degree of dash and swagger.

Despite the lively start made by the visitors, Bamber Bridge created the first threat on goal, when a Brig corner sent in by Jamie Sheppard caused a few problems for the Cammell Laird defence who had trouble clearing their lines.

Brig captain Ross Bain headed a well flighted Alex Porter free-kick narrowly over the crossbar after 8 minutes in the first meaningful attempt on goal.

Cammell Laird immediately snapped back and went close twice when Ian Cooke just failed to reach an excellent cross by full-back Derek Ward and when John Collins volleyed over from close in.

A sweeping move instigated by Greg Brickell, Alex Porter and new boy Karl Noon almost brought its rewards as the game began to swing from one end to the other.

The fast and pacy visitors pushed forward at every opportunity with mid-fielders Jamie Maguire, Anthony Hargreaves and Michael Rimmer creating dangerous openings for the front runners. But Brig were equal to the challenge with central defenders Jamie Squires and Ross Bain snuffing out any threat.

When the defensive wall was breached on 30 minutes, following a slick move involving Hargreaves and Rimmer, Brig goalkeeper Dave Newnes came quickly out of his goal to deal with the danger.

Hargreaves sliced over when well placed after a period of Cammell Laird pressure but Brig came the closest to an opener just before the break when Porter swept forward and fed Brickell who was denied at close quarters by the quick reactions of visiting keeper Peter Crooks.

The visitors created several chances on the resumption of play after the interval in a flurry of activity as they tried to catch the home team off guard.

Both Collins and Cooke had chances with headers from good crosses, the first by Maguire which was spurned by Collins and then by Ward which saw Cooke off target. The visitors came within inches of a goal in the 50th minute when a link-up by Ward and Cooke let in Maguire who shot just wide of Newnes right hand post.

After the initial onslaught had dissipated Brig began to dictate proceedings and Porter created two fine chances as the home side began impose their authority on the game. Bain headed over the first opportunity from a corner and then substitute Ryan Salmon missed the best chance of the night failing to convert a guilt edged opening.

The home side were not to be denied for much longer and deservedly got their noses in front on 80 minutes when Brickell headed home a knock-on from Mahoney. Brickell then almost got a second minutes later with a snap shot which zipped agonisingly close to the far post with Crooks beaten.

Cammell Laird mounted a series of frantic assaults on the Brig goal in search of an equaliser and former Brig man Chris Nezianya was desperately unlucky to see his close range effort kicked off the goal-line by full-back Jimmy King.

Disaster struck on 85 minutes for Bamber Bridge when Cammell Laird got on level terms in bizarre circumstances. Ross Bain in attempting a volleyed clearance saw his effort cannon off the chest of Cooke and past the stranded Newnes.

On the balance of play Cammell Laird were worthy of a share of the spoils after having played positively throughout and will be a match for any side in the First Division this season.

Bamber Bridge: Newnes, Clitheroe, King, Bain, Squires, Woodruff, Sheppard (Salmon 51), Mahoney, Noon, Brickell, Porter. unused Subs : Reynolds, Fletcher

Goals: Brickell (80 mins)

Attendance: 126