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Home > 2007-08 Season > Match Reports > West Auckland Town (16.10.07)

MATCH REPORT

Bamber Bridge 5 West Auckland Town 1

FA Cup 3rd Quailfying Round Replay

at Irongate

Tuesday 16th October 2007

By Dave Rowland

Bamber Bridge eliminated the last surviving Northern League side in this seasons FA Cup with a majestically powerful performance against a gallant West Auckland Town side who were simply outfought and totally outplayed. The North Easterners put in a strong and energetic challenge but they could not match the silky skills and intelligent football shown by their South Ribble hosts who have now lost just one game out of the 17 played so far this term. A trip to darkest Cambridgeshire against Conference outfit Histon now beckons the Irongate side in the Fourth Qualifying Round.

Brig were determined to finish the job off after having had to battle really hard for a draw at Darlington Road on Saturday in the Third Qualifying Round against their very resilient Northern League hosts West Auckland Town. ‘West’ arrived at Irongate, following the long trip from County Durham, still determined to make progress in the competition after having gained the lead twice on Saturday and having fully extending their lofty visitors.

Phil Entwistle made just one change to his starting line-up from the game at Darlington Road at the weekend. Tom Ince came in at full-back with Glenn Steel moving into midfield in preference to Matty Mahoney who took his place on the bench.

The game opened with a flurry of activity and Bamber Bridge got down to business straight from the kick-off. An Alex Porter cross caused mayhem in the visiting defence and Town goalkeeper Mark Bell had to react quickly to deny Sean O’Neil as he moved in for the kill. Then O’Neil turned provider putting in Salmon who came very close to opening the score after just two minutes when shooting just the wrong side of an upright.

The visitors were stung into retaliation and went very close themselves on five minutes when Gary Barnes smacked in a shot that Brig goalkeeper Terry McCormick did well to hold. McCormick was in action again shortly afterwards to deny Dave Jardine who sent in a rasping drive.

Once again Brig were being called upon to work extremely hard against a well drilled and enthusiastic side who were prepared to graft, toil and compete for every ball.

However, the class difference was always in evidence and this was continually emphasised by intelligent approach play instigated, in the main, by Tom Ince and Alex Porter who combined well down the left flank. Then on 20 minutes Danny Mahoney spotted Bell off his line and shot just over the crossbar from 40 yards out.

Brig should have gone in front on 25 minutes when a Porter free-kick was headed wide by Williams when the big centre-half was well placed.

The visitors showed plenty of enterprise and Lee Ellison came close with a free-kick which was deflected wide by a Brig defender on the half-hour mark.

Bamber Bridge made the breakthrough on 33 minutes when a Porter cross from the left was clipped home at the near post by Steve Brown who put Brig in front for the first time in the tie.

‘West’ responded and a Barnes effort was blocked by Adam Tong. However, the home side increased their lead two minutes before the break when Sean O’Neil rammed the ball home after a Salmon header cannoned from the crossbar following a Porter corner.

Bolstered by the two goal cushion Brig came out in the second-half and began to dominate affairs. A Porter free-kick was palmed away at full stretch by Bell before three home forwards got in each others way as they lined up to convert a Porter cross from the left. The Ince/Porter double act was carving great holes in the visitors back line and for a time it looked like the North Easterners would be totally overwhelmed. On 50 minutes Bell once again denied Porter when scrambling his shot off the goal-line. Then, man-of-the-match Ince brought the best out of the visiting keeper with a very tasty low drive from the edge of the box.

The Northern League side were finding it difficult to cope with the pace of their hosts and it was little surprise when Bamber Bridge went further ahead on 54 minutes. A delightfully chipped free-kick from the edge of the box by Danny Mahoney completely outfoxed Bell who was left flapping at fresh air as the ball looped over his head and into the rigging.

The Lancastrians were simply taking their guests apart and on the hour Danny Mahoney fired his shot just wide following a fine cross from the right by Brown. Goal number four followed on 73 minutes when Michael Waller got into a tangle with Bell and turned a fiercely struck Porter cross into his own net.

It was beginning to resemble the Alamo as Brig poured forward in numbers with ‘West’ reliant on the occasional breakaway. Their worthy efforts were rewarded however on 83 minutes with a consolation goal when centre-half James Middleton headed home a Jardine corner-kick from the left with the Brig defence all over the place.

Salmon then came agonisingly close following a fine combination of passes by Ince and substitute Matty Mahoney as the final minutes ticked away. Then Bell was quickly off his line to smother a Porter effort after a defence splitting through-ball by Salmon. Salmon was again denied after outstripping Bell but was unable to squeeze the ball in from an acute angle.

Brig were running riot and saved, what was arguably, the best goal of the game, for the 90th minute. Alex Porter sent an inch perfect ball from deep into the path of Salmon and Brig’s leading marksman exquisitely chipped his shot over the head of the stranded West Auckland goalkeeper for his ninth strike of the season to the delight of the home support.

It had been a fine blood and thunder tie and Brig can look back with gratitude to skipper Alex Porter who’s late equaliser on Saturday had made it all possible.

Bamber Bridge: McCormick, Fleming, Ince, Williams, Tong, Steel (M Mahoney 78mins), Brown (Carroll 84mins), D Mahoney, Salmon, O’Neil (Watson 86mins), Porter. Unused Subs: Banks and Telford

Goals: Brown (33 mins), O'Neil (42 mins), D Mahoney (54 mins), own goal (74 mins), Salmon (90 mins)

Attendance: 220