Official website of Bamber Bridge Football Club
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Home > 2007-08 Season > Match Reports > Garforth Town (08.09.07) |
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MATCH REPORTGarforth Town 0 Bamber Bridge 2Northern Premier League 1st Division Northat Genix Healthcare StadiumSaturday 8th September 2007By Dave Rowland
Brig travelled to the Genix Healthcare Stadium for their first ever encounter with the West Yorkshire side hoping to preserve an unbeaten start to the season. Their hosts were hoping to bounce back from their 2-3 FA Cup Preliminary Round defeat at Northern League side Spennymoor Town seven days previously. Brig manager Phil Entwistle made four changes (one positional) to the successful side that had overcome Oldham Town in the FA Cup last Saturday, selecting his line-up to meet the anticipated physical challenge from their hosts. Steve Williams was brought back into the centre of defence with Allan Fleming moving over to replace Damian Dashti at full-back. John Carroll made his debut in midfield replacing the suspended Steve Brown and Guy Heywood, who scored against Oldham Town in the FA Cup on Saturday, was selected to lead the front line in place of Sean O’Neil who took his place on the bench. Perhaps it was the fire that had broken out on the team bus on the motorway as it crossed over the Pennines, that had put a spark into the visitors, but following an initial flurry of activity by Town, Brig settled down to play the more accomplished football.
A bizarre incident followed on 5 minutes when Brig’s Steve Williams was temporarily dismissed by referee Mr Powell for wearing the wrong coloured underpants. Town moved the ball around smartly as they went to work on the visitors defence with midfield pair Chris Kamara and Greg Kelly making some enterprising runs. St Juste also worked hard down the left and the visitors were made to work hard to keep the marauders at bay. For the visitors, Alex Porter looked dangerous down the left flank, linking up well Ryan Salmon to cause the home defence a few anxious moments and John Carroll almost got on the end of an Adam Tong cross after 22 minutes as the visitors began to come out of their shell. Indeed, Brig now began to make inroads as the early enthusiasm enjoyed by the home team began to dissipate and a rasping drive by Salmon zipped narrowly past the far upright on 25 minutes. The first-half remained evenly contested as both sides fought to gain the initiative. Just before the break Town came close when St Juste fired well over following a scramble in the Brig box. The visitors came out fighting in the second half, going close on two occasions in the opening minutes. First Porter fired in a cross from the left which Carroll was inches away from meeting at the far post and shortly afterwards it was Porters turn to be denied when Town goalkeeper James Holroyd saved with his feet following a cross from the right by Carroll.
Yorkshire pride was stung and Town responded quickly but without success when a long range speculative drive by Richard Carrick was diverted narrowly past the post by alert Brig goalkeeper Terry McCormick. Despite this, the goal had galvanised the Lancastrians and they began to push forward with growing confidence. Well served at the back by the towering twin presence of Tong and Williams and animated in midfield by exuberant pair Porter and Mahoney, they went in search of further plunder and their arms bore fruit.
This deflated the homesters and the match began to take on a more physical aspect with Mr Powell totting up the names in his notebook. Brig’s Danny Mahoney was dismissed in the 81st minute following a challenge on Brompton which earned him his second yellow card. Despite this, the ten men comfortably held firm and the expected Town cavalry charge never materialised. Their spirit was broken and Brig jubilantly collected the points and their fifth clean sheet in the opening six league and cup games of the new season. Bamber Bridge: McCormick, Fleming, McMenemy, Williams, Tong, Steel, Carroll (M Mahoney 80mins), D Mahoney, Heywood (O’Neil 68mins), Salmon (Cooper 82mins), Porter Goals: Porter penalty (53 mins), O'Neill (75 mins) Attendance: 132
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Bamber Bridge maintained their fine start to the season with this well earned victory in a bruising encounter against league newcomers Garforth Town. After a finely balanced first-half in which the Yorkshire outfit showed plenty of spirit and endeavour, the South Ribble side stepped up a gear and deservedly took all three points with a resilient workman-like performance. Indeed, it was to prove a tough assignment with no less than 11 players booked and one sent off.
The first chance fell to the home side as early as the 2nd minute when a Chris Kamara centre from deep on the right found Jason St Juste unmarked on the edge of the Brig penalty box. However, the wingman snatched at the chance and the ball flew high and wide of the mark.. Brig quickly learnt from this early scare and defended with a great deal more guile thereafter.
The pressure paid off on 53 minutes when Town conceded a penalty after full-back Liam Brompton floored Danny Mahoney in the box after the Brig midfielder had worked his way through. Alex Porter comfortably converted the resultant spot-kick for his second goal of the campaign.
Alex Porter whipped in a fine free-kick from the left-hand bye-line on 75 minutes and substitute Sean O’Neil, though well marshalled by a defender, sent an unstoppable header past Holroyd’s outstretched left hand for a fine goal, his third of the season.