Official website of Bamber Bridge Football Club
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MATCH REPORTMossley 1 Bamber Bridge 2Northern Premier League 1st Division Northat Seel ParkSaturday 5th January 2008By Dave RowlandAfter falling behind in the opening minutes of the game, a late goal by ’super-sub’ Neil Spencer gave Bamber Bridge all three points when the game looked to be heading for a certain draw. The visitors had grabbed the equaliser in the 15th minute and displayed plenty of character on a bumpy gluepot of a surface against tricky and determined opponents. It was not a game for the purist; but both sides manfully slogged it out toe-to-toe in an otherwise absorbing contest.
With boss Phil Entwistle hospitalised, assistant manager Neil Crowe, made three changes; one positional, to the team that lost at Skelmersdale United during the week. Glenn Steel and Matty Mahoney did a complete swap, with Mahoney moving to full-back and Steel moving forward into midfield. Damian Dashti was preferred to Paul McMenemy at left-back and Adam Tong returned to the centre of defence; replacing George Melling, who reported sick with an ear infection. Brig kicked off down the considerable slope and created the fist opening when Matt Mahoney put Ryan Salmon away with an astute pass, but Brig’s leading marksman was denied when Mossley goalkeeper Ashley Connor came swiftly from his line to smother the danger. Mossley went in front with their first meaningful attack on 8 minutes. LEE BLACKSHAW made a menacing run down the inside-right position and although he was blocked by a couple of defenders, the ball spun loose and he found himself in space on the edge of the penalty area. The wingman calmly placed his shot beyond the reach of Bamber Bridge goalkeeper Terry McCormick to put his side in the driving seat. The ‘Lilywhites’ nearly grabbed a second a few minutes later when McCormick acrobatically saved a blockbuster from Danny Toronczak following a fine cross from the right by James Riordan.
Brig then had a lucky escape when Paul Quinn shot across the face of goal following an excellent cross by Blackshaw which caught the visiting defence on the hop. Brig came close twice midway through the first-half. Ryan Salmon tore the home defence to shreds with a forceful run down the left but was unfortunate to see his worthwhile effort flash narrowly beyond the far post. Edmeads then set up Alex Porter on the edge of the box after bravely winning a heading duel with a defender, but the Brig skipper was out of luck after stinging Connor’s hands with a rasping drive. Despite the clawing mud, Mossley pushed forward playing some neat football with panache. However, the visitors simply refused to play second fiddle and the gritty determination and self-belief, which had deserted them over Christmas, returned with a vengeance. Indeed, fortune almost favoured the brave on the half-hour mark when a speculative pile-driver from distance by Brig centre-back Adam Tong, almost found its mark. Both sides went close just before the interval. McCormick saved a Blackshaw snapshot with his feet after good work down the right by Quinn, whilst at the other end, a tidy through-ball from Glenn Steel sent Salmon on a run, but the young Brig striker was crowded out by two eager defenders as he lined up to shoot. Mossley came out of the traps quickly after the break as they attempted to impose themselves on the game and forced a couple of corner-kicks. Their skipper Lee Connor shot just past an upright following a dangerous Quinn flag-kick which caused consternation in the visiting defence. From the second, again expertly executed by Quinn, Mark Allison powerfully headed narrowly over the crossbar.
Mossley were stung into retaliation and nearly got in front themselves on 72 minutes when substitute Nicky Thompson toe-poked a Quinn free-kick just the wrong side of McCormick’s left-hand upright. Neil Spencer entered the fray as a 74th minute substitute and immediately made a deadly impact. Glenn Steel blasted narrowly wide after Spencer had taken advantage of an Edmeads lay-off to set the midfielder up. He then won the game for Brig on 82 minutes, after Mike Fletcher had done much of the spade-work. SPENCER shrugged aside two attendant defenders on the six yard line, before prodding the ball past the helpless Conner from close range. McCormick made sure that Bamber Bridge went home with all the booty in the dying minutes when he finger-tipped a Jamie Miller drive around the goalpost following a somewhat desperate but determined build-up through the middle by the Mossley forwards. Bamber Bridge: McCormick, M Mahoney, Dashti (McMenemy 69mins), Williams, Tong, Steel, Edmeads (Fletcher 81mins) D Mahoney, Salmon, Eaton (Spencer 74mins), Porter Goals: Edmeads (15 mins), Spencer (82 mins) Attendance: 202
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After dropping out of the play-off places following a disappointing Christmas campaign, Brig were keen to get back on track as they entered through the gates of Mossley’s picturesque Peel Park. The South Ribble side were looking to complete the league double over Mossley after having beating them 4-2 at Irongate at the beginning of October. Their Tameside hosts, who were four places below Brig in the First Division North, also needed to pick themselves up, having lost 2-5 at Gigg Lane against United of Manchester on New Years Day.
Bamber Bridge responded in the beat possible manner and equalised with a quality strike after 15 minutes. Danny Mahoney knocked the ball back into the path of MARK EDMEADS after some enterprising play by Dave Eaton, and the young midfielder crashed home a low volley from just outside the box; to record his first goal of the season in only his third appearance.
Salmon then came close for the visitors as they responded in kind, his shot deflected wide of goal following a precision Danny Mahoney cross from the right. Salmon should really have put Brig ahead on 68 minutes heading over another Danny Mahoney cross when well placed. However, he was desperately unlucky a few minutes later when his drive struck Connor’s left-hand goalpost as the South Ribble side stepped up the tempo.