Official website of Bamber Bridge Football Club
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Home > 2007-08 Season > Match Reports > Newcastle Blue Star (09.04.08) |
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MATCH REPORTNewcastle Blue Star 3 Bamber Bridge 0Northern Premier League 1st Division Northat Kingston ParkWednesday 9th April 2008By Joe MarchantBrig’s first visit to Kingston Park ended in defeat as three gift goals gave Blue Star the points. The Brig team bus was almost an hour late leaving Irongate after being caught up in the tailbacks following an accident on the M65 whilst on its way to Brig. After stopping at Forton Services to collect Glenn Steel and Rio de Janiero to pick up Zico, the bus finally arrived at the ground just minutes short of three hours later. This is Blue Star’s first season sharing Newcastle Falcons’ rugby ground. A smart modern ground with covered seating along both side, covered terracing at one end and open terracing at the other. Whilst it looks very plush, and is, it doesn’t quite have the character of some more traditional UniBond grounds. Brig boss Phil Entwistle named an unchanged line-up from the weekend demolition of Rossendale United. The only change coming on the bench where the unavailable Neil Spencer was replaced by Steve Brown. When a steady start was needed, Blue Star took the lead after just 19 seconds. Chris Emms strolled down the left, cut inside, had a shot which was spilled straight at the feet of leading scorer LEE NOVAK who accepted the tap-in at the far post. If things couldn’t get any worse, they did, as Blue Star scored again more or less right from the restart. This time just 72 seconds of the match had elapsed when a ball came across the box from the left, a defender missed his attempted clearance leaving this time DAVID McTIERNAN to find the net with another simple tap-in at the far post. This wasn’t quite the start Brig were hoping for. You can say that again. This wasn’t quite the start Brig were hoping for. Having come to terms with the double setback, Brig had a chance to halve the deficit on 9 minutes. Tom Ince was fouled on the left touchline and Danny Mahoney’s free-kick was headed firmly at home keeper Dan Lowson by Adam Tong. Blue Star passed up another gift on 24 minutes. A multi-man move down the left and Jamie McClen’s cross was spilled only for McTiernan at the far post to sky a simple chance. Five minutes later Neal Hooks sent in a low ball from the left and Mark Sheeran backheeled a cheeky effort inches wide. Brig got themselves back into the game and on the half hour mark Sean O’Neil’s header from a right-wing Alex Porter cross was cleared for a corner. Persistence by Tom on the left produced a cross for Neil Zarac to head wide. On 33 minutes Brig almost netted a spectacular goal. Tom found Zico just inside the Blue Star half and he laid it off to Tongy for the Brig stopper to unleash a furious piledriver from at least 40 yards that Lowson superbly managed to turn round for a corner. Lowson then palmed away Zico’s shot on 36 minutes. Brig were definitely gaining the upper hand and were taking the game to the home side. With only a couple of first-half minutes remaining, Zarac’s header from a Porter corner was cleared off the line by former football league veteran Dean Gordon. Neither side made any changes at the interval but it was Blue Star who made the brighter start. McTiernan crossed from the right finding Sheeran in space at the far post but he sent his shot sailing high over the bar. Double substitution by Brig on 62 minutes. Zarac and the unwell Mahoney were replaced by Steve Brown and Mark Edmeads. Brown slotted in on the right allowing Porter to join O’Neil in attack. A crossfield ball found McTiernan who cut inside along the edge of the box. Terry saved the shot. The game was up on 70 minutes as Blue Star were presented with their third goal. Another crossfield ball in the general direction of McTiernan should have been dealt with, but a mistake gave possession to DAVID McTIERNAN who buried a low shot just inside the post. Tom made a strong run from the halfway line taking him to the edge of the box and he pushed it to one side creating an opportunity for Browny but the shot went over. Tom tom turned around on the edge of the box and shot over. The also unwell Zico made way for Allan Fleming. Tactical reshuffle saw Flem take up the right-back role and Martin Crowder moving into midfield. With ten minutes remaining, Browny cut in from the right and teed up Tom whose shot was turned away by Lowson for a corner. From Browny’s corner Flem glanced his header inches over the bar. On 84 minutes McClen’s crossfield ball from the right found Emms rushing in at the far post. Tez saved low down at the post. Proof that it just wasn’t Brig’s night came on 88 minutes when Browny’s deflected cross/shot looked to be going in, only for Lowson going backwards to grasp the ball right on the goal-line. In the 89th minutes Emms sent Sheeran into the box and Tez made a good save. In the final minute Porter’s ball in from the right was laid off by O’Neil for Eddy to hoof over a conversion that Jonny Wilkinson on his home ground would have been proud of. Despite the scoreline, this wasn’t the hammering it suggests. Apart from the first 72 seconds, Brig gave as good as they got. Blue Star are quick on the break and play some good diagonal balls. Good friendly people who gave us a warm welcome to the North-East. The half-time chips were delicious. Stll waiting for the pre-match chips to arrive. But that’s another story. Left Kingston Park at 10.26 and it was a weary Brig bus that arrived back at Irongate at 1.18am on Thursday. Bamber Bridge: McCormick, Crowder, Bowen, Williams, Tong, Black (Fleming 77mins), Ince, D Mahoney (Edmeads 63mins), O’Neil, Zarac (Brown 63mins), Porter. Goals: - H-T: 0 - 2 Attendance: 148
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