Official website of Bamber Bridge Football Club
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Home > 2007-08 Season > Match Reports > West Auckland Town (13.10.07) |
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MATCH REPORTWest Auckland Town 2 Bamber Bridge 2FA Cup 3rd Quailfying Roundat IrongateSaturday 13th October 2007By Dave Rowland
Brig were hoping to reach the Fourth Qualifying Round of the FA Cup for the first time in eight years. The last time that they achieved this was in the 1999-00 season when they went on to meet, the then Football League side, Cambridge United in the Second Round Proper. The South Ribble side were also hoping that history would repeat itself after overcoming the County Durham side by 3-1 at Darlington Road in the First Qualifying Round on the 17th of September 1996. ‘West’, who had started their FA Cup journey back in August in the Extra Preliminary Round, were looking to complete another ‘Giant Killing’ act after having already eliminated Northern Premier League side Wakefield by 1-0 in a Preliminary Round replay on the 5th September. Phil Entwistle made several changes to the line-up that had been successful at Blackpool Mechanics in the Lancashire FA Challenge Trophy during the week. He opted for more experience bringing back defenders Allan Fleming and Steve Williams, midfielders Stephen Brown and Danny Mahoney and front runners Ryan Salmon and Sean O’Neil. Despite a quiet start to proceedings, there was plenty of commitment as both sides probed each other out whilst looking for openings. Bamber Bridge had the first real chance on 17 minutes when Steve Williams pushed his shot just wide from close in following an Alex Porter corner. ‘West’ responded immediately and a powerful Gary Barnes header flew inches over the crossbar after a fine cross from the left by Brian Fairhurst had caught the Brig defence at sixes-and-sevens. The visitors were finding the going difficult against doggedly determined opponents who fiercely contested every ball. Despite this, Brig almost got their nose in front on the half-hour mark when Danny Mahoney brought a good save out of Town goalkeeper Mark Bell after a neat through ball by Salmon had caught the home defence flat-footed. Then a Porter cross was finely intercepted by a defender as Salmon moved in for the kill as Brig pushed forward once again.
Just before the break Brown took advantage of some sloppy home defending and found Salmon in space, but Bell expertly palmed over the resultant drive by Brig’s leading marksman. The visitors came out in the second period and began to take charge of affairs, playing some cultured football. Salmon had an effort blocked on the six yard line by Bell following a deft cross by Porter as the home side struggled to get that ball out of their own half. Pressure on Town’s defence was relentless and Brig went close twice within as many minutes. First, Danny Mahoney fired over from a good position when put through on goal by Porter on 52 minutes and then Glenn Steel powered over a header from a Porter corner-kick. Not surprisingly, Bamber Bridge got the breakthrough that their endeavours deserved on the hour mark with an equaliser. A Glenn Steel free-kick was hoisted into the Town penalty area and Salmon was first to react to send a looping header over Bell and into the net for his eighth goal of the season. The home side looked in trouble but Six minutes later they were back in front with, arguably, the best goal of the game. A quick build-up on the left caught the visitors on the back foot and when Barnes squared a perfect pass into the path of Daniel Richmond on 66 minutes, the midfielder smacked in a screamer from the edge of the area. Although McCormick just managed to get a hand to the ball, the pace beat him and it was 2-1. Bamber Bridge found themselves chasing the game for the second time and went about their business in earnest. Matt Mahoney fired just wide of an upright on 68 minutes following another good cross by Porter and then a Salmon effort was scrambled away for a corner following a long throw-in by Steel which had caught out the Town rearguard. ‘West’ almost increased their lead on 85 minutes when substitute Stuart Owen brought the best out of McCormick who made a fine save at full stretch.
Bromley was sent off for his trouble by referee Mr Stalker before Brig skipper Alex Porter held his nerve to confidently thunder home the equaliser giving Bell absolutely no chance of making a save. The Irongate club have now lost just once in their opening sixteen league and cup fixtures and still remain in five different cup competitions. Bamber Bridge: McCormick, Steel, Fleming, Williams, Tong, M Mahoney, Brown, D Mahoney, Salmon, O’Neil, Porter. Unused Subs: Ince, Carroll, Watson, Banks and Telford Goals:O'Neil (52 mins), Porter pen (87 mins) Attendance: 147
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It took a battling Bamber Bridge performance, particularly
in the second-half,. to earn for themselves a replay against
their resilient Northern League hosts, West Auckland Town,
in this entertaining FA Cup Third Qualifying Round tie at
Darlington Road. The South Ribble side were thankful to
skipper Alex Porter who held his nerve to score confidently
from the penalty-spot with just two minutes remaining, and
bring the tie back to Irongate on Tuesday night. However,
it was no more than the Lancastrians deserved after dominating
most of the second-half following a faltering first 45 minutes.
All the visitors hard work was undone on 39 minutes when
the County Durham side snatched the lead. Garry Barnes made
the most of an uncharacteristic slip by Williams to break
through on goal. As Brig goalkeeper Terry McCormick came
out to confront him, Barnes neatly tucked the ball confidently
into the corner of the net to open the scoring.
However, the visitors poured forward in search of the second
equaliser and were rewarded two minutes from time when an
Adam Tong shot, following a goalmouth scramble, struck the
arm of Kevin Bromley on the goal-line. The Town wingman
had dropped back to help out in defence.