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Home > 2007-08 Season > Match Reports > Chorley (25.09.07)

MATCH REPORT

Bamber Bridge 2 Chorley 1

Northern Premier League Challenge Cup 1st Round

at Irongate

Tuesday 25th September 2007

By Dave Rowland

Bamber Bridge won this thrilling League Challenge Cup tie far more comfortably than the modest score-line suggests to earn a Second Round trip to North Wales following Colwyn Bay’s home win over Clitheroe. The South Ribble side dominated throughout with two first-half goals proving enough to overcome a gallant challenge by near neighbours Chorley who were outfought by their much stronger hosts.

Whilst a break from league action can appear to be a distraction from the more important business of vying for points, this particular tie was welcomed by all parties due to the added attraction of it being a local derby. Brig were extra keen to maintain the sort of form that has seen them achieve a ten game undefeated start to the season and Chorley were hoping to be the first side this term to lower their neighbours colours.

Both managers decided to take the opportunity of trying out players that were, either returning from injury, or had been on the fringes of their respective first teams. Also, with a long hard season still ahead, it was felt that there was the need for each manager to try out new permutations. The League Challenge Cup, although still regarded by the two clubs as an important competition, offered the chance for experimentation.

Brig boss Phil Entwistle made four changes to his successful starting line-up which overcame strugglers Bridlington Town on Saturday. Danny Mahoney returned to midfield following his one-match ban, replacing Lee Cooper. Tom Ince was moved to fill an unfamiliar roll at full-back with Matt Mahoney restored to midfield in place of Glenn Steel who was named as one of the subs. Sean O’Neil came back into the front line after being named as substitute on Saturday due to a slight fitness problem.

Chorley manager Gerry Luczka also shuffled his pack after the defeat at Newcastle Blue Star at the weekend. Defender Mike Eckersley was ruled out with a thigh strain which he picked up at Newcastle and was replaced by Craig Cushion. Peter Collinge was preferred to Phil Priestley in goal and James Mullineux came into midfield replacing Phil Cooney. Youngster Danny Nolan replaced Steve Burke at the front and Jordan Goodeve replaced Eddie Stanford who in turn replaced Joel Pilkington in midfield.

The visitors were quickly off the mark and nearly caught the Bamber Bridge defence cold straight from the kick off. Chorley starlet Danny Nolan, who was to prove a real livewire all evening, just failed to take advantage of a defensive slip-up in the home back-line in the first minute.

Bamber Bridge soon settled into their rhythm and took the game to the visitors. Stephen Brown found Sean O’Neil in space after 7 minutes but the former soldier spurned the chance shooting harmlessly wide. Then ten minutes later Ryan Salmon came close following a well struck Alex Porter cross.

The game was beginning shape up as a typical Lancashire derby with both sides fully committed to the cause and the tie soon exploded with two goals within five hectic minutes.

Young Matt Mahoney picked up a loose ball some twenty yards from goal in the 25th minute before unleashing an unstoppable drive which flew low just inside the left-hand goalpost and beyond the reach of Collinge’s despairing dive. It was his first goal for the club.

Five minutes later Brig were two goals to the good when first O’Neil appeared to be impeded and then the ball was handled with both incidents happening just inside the Chorley penalty area. Brig skipper Alex Porter fiercely drove home the resultant spot-kick giving goalkeeper Collinge no chance.

Chorley responded and went close when a long range effort by Eddie Stanford was scrambled over the crossbar by Brig goalkeeper Terry McCormick.

However, the home side continued to look the stronger outfit and O’Neil was desperately unlucky to see his header headed off the goal-line on 35 minutes following a Porter corner-kick.

Chorley pulled a goal back against the run of play in the 40th minute when an attempted Bamber Bridge defensive clearance struck Craig Cushion, the ball falling to the unmarked Kenny Mayers on the edge of the box. The former Bamber Bridge man did not waste the opportunity and fired in a cross-shot beyond the stranded McCormick and into the far corner of the net.

Bamber Bridge brought on all three substitutes at the start of the second-half and one of them, Neil Spencer, had the ball in the net on 46 minutes but the effort was ruled out for an infringement.

There was little seen of the visitors as an attacking force after the break with their only meaningful moves initiated via a fine individual performance by youngster Danny Nolan who is surely the find of the season for the Victory Park club. Indeed, his enthusiasm and skilful creativity was the only viable threat posed to a very solid looking home defence.

The home side pummelled the visitors back-line with a series of penetrating sorties. Danny Mahoney came near to adding to the score-line firing just wide from a Spencer pass and Brown shot narrowly over the crossbar following a perfect Danny Mahoney cross on 52 minutes.

Whilst the visitors were reduced to innocuous long range efforts Bamber Bridge could have built up a cricket score. A fine Spencer volley on 55 minutes brought the best out of Collinge who dived low to keep the goal-bound effort out.

Then Salmon was desperately unlucky with a header which struck the underside of the bar before bouncing out to safety following a pin-point Danny Mahoney free-kick. The visitors goal led a charmed life as they somehow survived a goalmouth scramble. They escaped further efforts by Salmon and Brown before leaving the field a well beaten side at the end despite the narrow score-line.

Bamber Bridge: McCormick, Fleming (Steel 45mins), Ince, Williams (Melling 45mins), Tong, M Mahoney, Brown, D Mahoney, Salmon, O’Neil (Spencer 45mins), Porter

Goals: Mahoney (25 mins), Porter (30 mins)

Attendance: 229