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Home > 2007-08 Season > Match Reports > Harrogate Railway Athletic (23.10.07)

MATCH REPORT

Bamber Bridge 0 Harrogate Railway Athletic 2

Northern Premier League 1st Division North

at Irongate

Tuesday 23rd October 2007

By Dave Rowland

Bamber Bridge went down to their first home defeat of the season against their gutsy North Yorkshire guests. The South Ribble side may have been distracted by Saturday’s FA Cup game at Histon and this was not one of there better displays of the season. Harrogate Railway Athletic were full of running and skilful endeavour and took advantage of their ‘off-colour’ hosts with a spirited performance that belied their lowly standing in the First Division North table.

Brig were glad to get back to league action following four consecutive cup ties in the last fortnight. They were keen to keep in touch with league leaders Curzon Ashton and second placed Ossett Albion in the First Division North. Both sides have played two more games than Brig with Albion just one point ahead. However Curzon enjoy a five point advantage over the South Ribble side, and, although dropping a couple of points recently, the Tameside outfit remain undefeated. Harrogate Railway Athletic arrived at Irongate looking for some improvement following a shock 2-4 home defeat in the FA Trophy against strugglers Radcliffe Borough on Saturday. They were also keen to avenge the 0-1 defeat suffered at the hands of their hosts at Station View in August when Sean O’Neil was the games lone marksman.

Phil Entwistle made two changes to the line-up that had been so successful at Eastwood Town in the FA Trophy at the weekend. Matt Mahoney was restored to midfield in place of Stephen Brown who was sidelined with a groin injury and top marksman Ryan Salmon returned from injury replacing Sean O’Neil who was unavailable due to work commitments.

The home side started well enough and a long through-ball by Danny Mahoney almost put Alex Porter in after just 3 minutes but ‘Rail’ goalkeeper Jonathan McLaughlin was quickly off his line to avert the danger.
Disaster stuck for Bamber Bridge four minutes later however, when they handed an early surprise gift to the visitors. Steve Williams attempted a header back to goalkeeper Terry McCormick and the ball fell well short of the mark. Richard Marshall took full advantage as he nipped in and flicked the ball over the stranded Brig keeper.

The shock reverse failed to stimulate any positive reaction from the home side as they struggled to get a grip on proceedings. Indeed, ‘Rail’ were finding a way through Brig’s hitherto solid rearguard, with midfielders Scott Ryan, Matthew Morgan and Marshall putting together some telling runs.
Full-back Danny Lowe went close for the visitors on 11 minutes when his shot from distance just cleared the crossbar.

Brig tried to pick up the pace and moved forward menacingly but ‘Rail’s’ defence looked firm enough and kept Neil Spencer and Ryan Salmon well shackled.
Marshall again came close for the visitors after 20 minutes when his shot from distance flew narrowly wide following a neat build up through the middle, whilst at the other end Adam Tong went quite close with a header from an Alex Porter cross.

Brig missed a great opportunity on the half-hour mark when Danny Mahoney split the visitors defence apart with a superb through-ball into the path of Ryan Salmon, but Brig’s top scorer was denied by McLaughlin who bravely blocked the effort.

The visitors were on top of their game quickly closing people down and swiftly moving the ball around to good effect once in possession. In contrast their hosts looked lethargic and were struggling to get their game together. Despite this, Brig almost found a way through just before the interval when Salmon nearly got on the end of a neat through-ball from Tong which had caught the visiting defence flat-footed.

The same pattern emerged in the second period with the Yorkshiremen calling most of the shots. Indeed, they almost doubled their account on 47 minutes when James Riley was just inches away with a header following a Danny Lowe free-kick.

Marshall had the ball in the net on 55 minutes but the effort was disallowed following a push on Tong. Two minutes later Marshall should have scored but fired wide when well placed as ‘Rail’ pushed forward in strength.
Brig made a double substitution on 66 minutes and Tong was pushed forward to add some bite to the attack and four minutes later they went desperately close to the equaliser when Salmon just failed at the near post following a long throw-in by Tong.

The home side had come to life and for the first time in the game were able to sustain a modicum of continuous pressure. A Danny Mahoney corner-kick was scrambled to safety in the 82 minute and, try as they might, Brig could just not find a way through the resolute Harrogate defence.
The visitors were able to snatch a second goal in the 90th minute to seal the points when James McDaid rolled a neat pass across Brig’s overstretched defence and substitute Daniel Davidson tucked away the easiest of chances.

Bamber Bridge: McCormick, Fleming (Watson 80mins), Ince, Williams (Melling 66mins), Tong, Steel, M Mahoney, D Mahoney, Salmon, Spencer (Carroll 66mins), Porter

Goals: -

Attendance: 138