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Home > 2007-08 Season > Match Reports > FC United of Manchester (17.11.07)

MATCH REPORT

Bamber Bridge 3 FC United of Manchester 0

Northern Premier League 1st Division North

at Irongate

Saturday 17th November 2007

By Dave Rowland

Bamber Bridge were just too good for their Mancunian guests in this enthralling First Division North encounter at Irongate. The South Ribble side went in one-nil up at half-time after totally dominating the game and then finished the job off in fine style with two quick goals shortly after the break. United, who played second-fiddle for the most part, were always chasing the game after a bright start by the home side and were never allowed to get into their rhythm by determined and skilful opponents.

Brig were looking to get back on the rails following two consecutive defeats and were also eager to avenge the 0-5 defeat suffered against their guests in the Second Round of the President’s Cup on the 31st October. Second placed United were hoping to carry on from where they left off on Wednesday night after thumping Rossendale United 5-1 at home in the league.

The game was billed as a ‘six-pointer’ with United just tucked in behind leaders Curzon Ashton on 28 points from 14 games, whilst Bamber Bridge lay 8th in the table with 20 points in the bag from 11 games played.
Phil Entwistle made three changes to the line-up that went out of the League Challenge Cup at Colwyn Bay during the week. Central-defender Steve Williams returned from injury and replaced George Melling who took his place on the bench. Leading goal-scorer Ryan Salmon also returned to action following a stint on the treatment table, being preferred to Neil Spencer who was named as substitute. Dave Eaton came back into the line-up after missing the game at Colwyn Bay due to being cup-tied, and replaced the injured Tom Ince.

The home side imposed themselves on the game from the off and went close twice within the opening five minutes. Brig centre-half Steve Williams just failed to get his head onto a Stephen Brown free-kick after just two minutes play with Brown himself going close with a cross-shot after a Ryan Salmon pass found him in space.
Brig continued to storm the breaches with United on the back-foot and came near to opening their account on 10 minutes when Dave Eaton, making his home debut, turned and shot, following a neat through-ball from skipper Alex Porter but the effort was saved by United goalkeeper Sam Ashton.

The home side finally got their reward four minutes later when Ashton fumbled a Brown cross and Brig leading marksman RYAN SALMON scrambled the ball over the line from close in.

The goal galvanised the home side who almost increased their lead on 20 minutes when Ashton pushed a Porter shot onto the cross-bar following an astute lay-off from Eaton.

United nearly achieved parity with their first meaningful raid two minutes later when Bamber Bridge goalkeeper Terry McCormick denied Rory Patterson at full stretch.

Brown was desperately unlucky after 25 minutes when, after running through a static defence, he unleashed a rasping drive which cannoned back off the cross-bar with Ashton routed to his line. Ashton kept United in the game when he advanced smartly from his line to deny Salmon in a one-on-one encounter after an Adam Tong through-ball had caught the visiting defence flat-footed.

United picked themselves up around the half-hour mark and began to apply some pressure. Indeed, Patterson was again close, testing McCormick with a worthy effort following a smart move through the middle of the Brig defence, before Aaron Burns skimmed the cross-bar with one effort and Chris Baguley came close firing just past the upright.

However, the home team finished the first period as they had started it and young Matty Mahoney smacked a shot just wide from a Porter lay-off following some fine work on the right flank by Salmon.
Bamber Bridge confirmed their superiority after the interval with two quick-fire goals that ended any realistic hopes of a come-back by the visitors.

DAVID EATON neatly turned and shot home beyond the reach of Ashton on 51 minutes, the ball finding the far corner of the net, for his first goal for the club. This came about following an early build-up of pressure by Brig. Then the game was put beyond United’s reach three minutes later when SALMON glanced home his 14th goal of the season from a free-kick taken from distance by Brown.

The game fell flat for a while before Salmon almost claimed his hat-trick on the hour mark at the back post when touching a Porter free-kick just the wrong side of the upright when it looked easier to have scored.

United huffed and puffed as they strove to get something out of the game and Nicky Platt was unlucky to see his blockbuster crash down off the underside of the bar and out on 62 minutes.

Nonetheless, Bamber Bridge remained dangerous when going forward and looked in full control at the back with both Paul McMenemy and Adam Tong outstanding. Mahoney and Brown worked feverishly in midfield and were instrumental in formulating a good deal of the home sides forays. Indeed, the Irongate side gave a fine workmanlike and balanced performance which eliminated much of the visitors swagger in front of a record crowd for a league game at the ground.

Bamber Bridge: McCormick, Fleming, McMenemy, Williams, Tong, Steel, Brown (Dashti 86mins), M Mahoney, Salmon, Eaton (Spencer 80mins), Porter. Unused Sub: Melling

Goals: Salmon (14, 54 mins), Eaton (51 mins)

Attendance: 1,435