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Home > Archive > 2006-07 Season > Match Reports > Stocksbridge Park Steels (27.01.07)

2006-2007 Season

Match Reports

Bamber Bridge 0 Stocksbridge Park Steels 3

Northern Premier League 1st Division

at Irongate

Saturday 27th January 2007

By Dave Rowland

Promotion hopefuls Stocksbridge Park Steels completed the league-double over Bamber Bridge at Irongate on Saturday with three second-half goals. The home side were reduced to ten men after only ten minutes when goalkeeper David Newnes was sent off. As so often happens in such cases, the ten men somehow raised their game to play with great gusto for the rest of the half, but were undone after the break when Steels made the extra man count with a powerful and decisive performance.

Bamber Bridge were hoping to consolidate their run of good form in the First Division since Christmas which has seen the South Ribble side win three and draw one of the four games played. It was also Phil Entwistle’s first game in charge after being appointed as first team boss at Irongate during the week. Phil had taken over the reigns in a caretaker capacity on Boxing day after the resignation of Andy Whittaker. First Division high-flyers Stocksbridge Park Steels were hoping to put their season back on track after a poor run recently which has seen the Yorkshiremen lose a bit of ground in the promotion race, having won only one of their last eight games.

Phil Entwistle made just one change to his successful line-up at Rossendale United the previous week bringing in Tom Ince to replace suspended Neil Spencer.

The game opened in lively fashion with Steels taking the initiative and after going close twice Micky Goddard was put through on goal just outside the left hand corner of the penalty box after 9 minutes. Newnes came quickly out to bring the Steels striker to ground as his shot struck the far upright. Referee Mr Simpson had little choice but to send the keeper off.

Substitute Robin Myers replaced wingman Tom Ince and took over the goalkeeping duties for the home side. He was to have a superb game between the sticks, handling well and denying the Yorkshire side with some great saves.

Bamber Bridge stepped up a gear despite this early set-back but the Yorkshire side should really have got their noses in front on 28 minutes when Ben Walker hit the crossbar from close in when it looked easier to have scored.

At the other end the visitors had a let-off when full-back James Colliver almost headed through his own goal, goalkeeper Steve Hodgson managing to scramble the ball over for a corner.

Whilst the first period had been an evenly fought contest the visitors made the extra man count after the break.

They showed their intent early on, going straight on the offensive with a flurry of raids and took the lead after 56 minutes. A Steve Hawes corner on the left was not properly cleared by the home defence and Dave Cockerill headed home inside the unguarded back post.

The goal galvanised the visitors and six minutes later they were two goals to the good when Ian Richards side footed home a delicate Curtis Bernard cross.

The South Ribble side came very close to pulling a goal back on 70 minutes when Hodgson saved with his knees following a worthy effort from Ryan Salmon after a neat one-two with Alex Porter had split open the visiting defence.

Myers was excelling in goal for Brig and denied the Yorkshiremen with a couple of top drawer saves. Firstly, he bravely denied the inrushing Bernard with his feet and then expertly tipped over a fierce drive from Andy Smith.

Bamber Bridge strove manfully to get back into the game but were completely undone on 88 minutes when Bernard forced his way through the home rearguard and found Andy Ring in space and the substitute scrambled the ball home from close range.

The game became a little ill tempered as both sides showed plenty of commitment.

Steels were pushing forward at every opportunity and Ring was just wide with a header from a Hawes free-kick in time added on.

At the end of the day Bamber Bridge had not been able to overcome the disadvantage of playing with a man short for so long in the game against one of the leading lights in the First Division. Indeed, it was a case of what might have been!

Bamber Bridge: Newnes, Nay, Fleming, Melling, Williams, Smith (S Brown 69mins), Ince (Myers 9mins), Mahoney, Lloyd (Fletcher 69mins), Salmon, Porter

Goals: -

Attendance: 182