Home

Club

Events

Contact

History

News

2007-08 Season

Matchday

Club Shop

Commercial

Links

Archive

2006-07 Season

League Table

Player Statistics

Match Reports

Home > Archive > 2006-07 Season > Match Reports > Shepshed Dynamo (31.03.07)

2006-2007 Season

Match Reports

Shepshed Dynamo 2 Bamber Bridge 2

Northern Premier League 1st Division

at The Dovecote

Saturday 31st March 2007

By Dave Rowland

After holding a 2-1 half-time lead, Bamber Bridge were denied a league double over their Leicestershire hosts in the dying seconds of the game when they conceded a very sloppy goal. The South Ribble side had comfortably beaten Shepshed Dynamo 3-0 on the previous Saturday at Irongate, but they were given a sterner test at the picturesque Dovecote, finding Dynamo a little less accommodating this time out. However, they will have made the long journey back to Lancashire in the knowledge that this had been two points lost rather that one gained.

Brig arrived at the Dovecote in a confident mood after having won six out of their last seven games in the First Division. Also they were looking to continue a fine defensive record, not having conceded a goal in their last four outings. Their Leicestershire hosts were keen to make amends for the 0-3 defeat suffered at Irongate the week previously. They were also keen to restore some lost pride after disappointingly losing out on penalties after drawing 1-1 at home to Midland Alliance side Barwell in the Semi-Final of the Westerby County Cup in midweek.

Phil Entwistle made just one change to his line-up from the game between the sides the week before. Stuart Barlow replaced in-form striker Ryan Salmon who was serving the first game of a two-match ban. Dynamo manager Adam Stevens made two changes bringing in James Cullingworth at full-back to replace Jayson Bindley and left-sided midfielder Lewis Allen who replaced Sam Craven.

The game opened on a quiet note but there was a more steely edge to the home side who had not played particularly well at Irongate the week before.

Bamber Bridge began to settle down after dealing with a flurry of early corners by the eager homesters. Shepshed’s Craig Attwood brought down Tom Ince on the edge of the box after seven minutes but Steve Brown’s blockbuster free-kick was blocked by the defensive wall.

Brig got their noses in front after 14 minutes from the penalty spot. Stuart Beech sent in a long raking ball from distance and Dynamo goalkeeper Dale Belfield jumped into Ince as the Brig man bore down on goal. Top marksman Alex Porter confidently smacked home the resultant spot-kick for his 23rd goal of the season.

The visitors should have increased their lead two minutes later. Mike Fletcher found Porter in space down the left flank and the flying wingman’s cross was headed powerfully just the wrong side of the goalpost by Barlow with Belford well beaten.

Stung by the penalty decision, which they had vehemently contested, Shepshed began to make inroads through the Brig defence and Attwood was unlucky to see his header fly over the crossbar on 23 minutes following a Jordon Lambert corner.

The visitors came close twice on the half hour mark. A Porter cross from the left was met by

Mark Edmeads but the young midfielders effort was blocked. Then a typically accurate long ball by Danny Mahoney put Porter away on the left and his superbly struck cross narrowly eluded Barlow, before being deflected behind by a defender for a corner.

The game really came to life just two minutes before the break when both sides found the net.

Dynamo equalised on 43 minutes when full-back Joe Carter found Royce Turvill unmarked on the left with a free-kick. Brig goalkeeper Dave Newnes saved the initial shot when bravely diving at Turvill’s feet, but the Shepshed striker latched onto the loose ball before firing home through a crowd of defenders. It was the first goal that Bamber Bridge had conceded in over six and a half hours.

It took the visitors just one minute to restore their lead. Robin Myers caught the home defence completely square with a defence spitting ball through to Stuart Barlow. The former Everton and Wigan Athletic striker delicately lifted his shot over the advancing Belford for his second goal in a Bamber Bridge shirt.

Ince, Porter and Fletcher all came close with efforts after the break but Shepshed were defending well. Indeed, they were showing far more endeavour than they had done at Irongate seven days previously but they were still finding it hard to penetrate a resolute Brig defence.

Steve Brown came close for the visitors on the hour following excellent work by the industrious Porter, when he turned and shot just wide of the post.

Shepshed were still in the hunt and they began to press forward with more confidence as the game wore on. A flurry of corners ensued and Attwood was again unlucky to see his header fly over from one of them.

Despite the increased activity by the home side Brig remained comfortable and in control. However, some sloppy defending was to be their undoing just when it seemed that they were on their way to securing their fifth consecutive win.

A needless corner was given away out on the right-hand touchline, as the final seconds ticked away. From the resultant throw-in, Cullingworth sent in an innocuous looking cross which bobbled near the six yard-line. Substitute Ade Adelukan was first to react and bundled the ball over the goal-line for the most unlikely of equalisers. There was no time for the visitors to respond and they left the field disconsolately.

Bamber Bridge: Newnes, Beech, Myers, Melling, Mahoney, Fletcher, S Brown, Edmeads, Porter, Barlow (Spencer 76mins), Ince. Unused subs: Marsden and Farrow

Goals: Porter pen (14 mins), Barlow (43 mins)

Attendance: 130