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Home > Archive > 2006-07 Season > Match Reports > Gresley Rovers (26.08.06)

2006-2007 Season

Match Reports

Bamber Bridge 4 Gresley Rovers 1

Northern Premier League 1st Division

at Irongate

Saturday 26th August 2006

By Dave Rowland

Bamber Bridge comfortably won their first game of the season against their South Derbyshire, visitors Gresley Rovers on Saturday. After the frustration of drawing 1-1 at a poor looking Harrogate Railway Athletic on the opening day of term, and then unlucky drawing at home to Cammell Laird during the week, Andy Whittaker’s side showed their true potential against creditable opposition.

Rovers had not made the best of starts to their campaign having gained just a single point from their two opening First Division games. However, they had been First Division play-off Finalists in May and had only just failed to clinch promotion after former Brig favourite Peter Smith had scored the winner for Kendal Town in the 89th minute of the Final, which was to put the Cumbrians in the Premier Division.

With this near-run and unlucky break in mind, the ‘Moatmen’ were billed as one of the favourites for a promotion push this time around. Bamber Bridge however, had not read the script.

Gresley set off brightly and were busy in the opening minutes with Paul Edwards going close after being set-up by his strike partner Steve Gomm. He was to go close again a few minutes later but blasted over a David Holmes cross from close in.

Brig countered and Lee Clitheroe set Tom Ince free on the right with a finely flighted pass from distance and the diminutive wingman put in Greg Brickell who saw his shot was blocked by a determined Rovers defender.

Brickell should have opened Brig’s account on 20 minutes after working his way through the static visitors defence. His effort from close in was touched just past the upright by the alert Rovers’ goalkeeper Thomas Whittle, but he should really have scored.

At the other end, Gomm just failed to get on to the end of a defence splitting through ball by David Holmes, as the game remained finely balanced with each side probing for openings.

However, Brig stuck the first of three mortal blows within the space of ten minutes which stunned the Derbyshire side and they never recovered.

The Irongate men went in front on 29 minutes when a Tom Ince corner was headed back across goal by Jamie Squires for Dave Woodruff to finish off after his initial effort was blocked.

Before the visitors could gain their composure the home side got their second three minutes later when a long ball out of defence by captain Ross Bain found Alex Porter out on the left. Porter’s well directed and hard-hit cross was headed home with great aplomb by Greg Brickell.

Bamber Bridge goalkeeper Graham Bennett then came to his side’s rescue, saving well from the head of Edwards as the visitors strove in vain to get back into the game. Their travails came to naught and their troubles increased when the Lancastrians went further ahead after 39 minutes when a Tom Ince corner was firmly headed home by the unmarked Woodruff.

If Rovers manager Gary Norton had read the riot act at half-time his words must have fallen on deaf ears. Straight from the resumption of play Steve Gomm construed to missed an open goal for Gresley, screwing his shot badly wide from right in front of the goal after being put through Holmes.

Brig still looked dangerous going forward with the hard working Reynolds and Porter creating openings. Jimmy King sent in a fine swirling cross on 53 minutes but Whittle was quickly off his line to block Brickell’s header.

A minute later Rovers clawed a goal back when a Gary White corner-kick was powered home by the inrushing Matthew Millns.

Any thought of a come back by the Derbyshire side was clinically extinguished within ten minutes when Bamber Bridge had the game sown up with a fourth strike. Greg Brickell took advantage of a mix-up between goalkeeper Whittle and one of his defenders, to shoot home from close range after a cross from the left by Alex Porter.

In a strange occurrence in the 79th minute, Brig substitute Mike Fletcher was booked by referee Mr O’Neill whilst still on the bench. When the midfielder did eventually join the fray on 86 minutes he was unlucky to be thwarted on the edge of the Rovers penalty box when tackled just has he prepared to shoot.

The game finished with Bamber Bridge well on top and a late cross by King was wasted by Karl Noon who fired over when well placed.

Bamber Bridge: Bennett, Clitheroe, King, Bain, Squires, Woodruff, Ince, Reynolds (Fletcher 68mins), Noon, Brickell, Porter. Unused Subs: Fleming, Myers

Goals: Woodruff (29, 39 mins), Brickell (32, 64 mins)

Attendance: 138