MATCH REPORT
Bamber Bridge 3 Radcliffe Borough 0
Northern Premier League 1st Division North
at Irongate
Tuesday 27th November 2007
By Dave Rowland
Bamber Bridge continued the happy knack of winning football
games with this comfortable 3-0 victory over strugglers
Radcliffe Borough at Irongate last night. An early strike,
and two goals either side of the half-time break, were enough
to see the South Ribble side triumph and move into third
spot in the First Division North after United of Manchester
lost 0-2 at Seel Park against Tameside outfit Mossley.
Brig were looking for their fourth victory on the bounce
following recent wins over United of Manchester, Lancaster
City and Ilkeston Town. They were also hoping to put pressure
on the top sides in the First Division North; all of whom
have played more games than the South Ribble outfit. Relegated
from the Premier Division last season, Radcliffe Borough
arrived at Irongate bottom of the table, without a win in
the league, and looking to avenge the 0-2 defeat that they
suffered at Irongate on the 11th September.
The game was the second of three in the league between the
clubs this term following changes to the fixture set-up
arranged for teams in the regionalised First Divisions.
This arrangement has the approval of the Football Association
and is just for the one season only. It was brought in to
accommodate clubs who had expressed concern about the lack
of fixtures due to the Step-4 divisions having a temporary
compliment of only 18 sides each instead of the standard
22.
Phil Entwistle was forced into making two changes to his
starting line-up from the side that overcame Premier Division
outfit Ilkeston Town in the FA Trophy at the weekend. Full-back
Paul McMenemy was ruled out after collecting a knock on
Saturday and was replaced by Damien Dashti and Steven Brown
was replaced by John Carroll in midfield due to a one match
ban.
After a quiet start the first chance of the game fell to
Brig on 12 minutes when Boro somehow survived an almighty
goalmouth scramble. There then followed a series of three
corners as the visitors struggled to clear their lines and
it was no surprise when Bamber Bridge got their noses in
front on 14 minutes. Brig skipper Alex Porter whipped over
an in-swinging flag-kick which was thundered home with great
aplomb by centre-half ADAM TONG who rose majestically above
the Boro defence and from this point onwards there was going
to be only one winner.
There was nothing amiss about the visitors approach play
as they provided plenty of evidence that they could initiate
some fine moves, but it was patently evident from the word
go that there was no one remotely capable of finishing off
all the good work.
On the other hand Brig looked dangerous with every attack,
with Neil Spencer, Alex Porter and leading marksman Ryan
Salmon causing all kinds of problems for the beleaguered
Boro rearguard all night.
However, Steve Howson did come close for the visitors on
17 minutes when Brig goalkeeper Terry McCormick was forced
to pick his well directed header from under the crossbar.
Bamber Bridge laid siege to the Boro goal, going close three
times in as many minutes. First Tong almost claimed his
second of the night when shooting narrowly wide from distance,
before a neat interchange between Steel and Salmon almost
provided a goal for Porter who was denied following a fine
piece of goalkeeping by Sean Lake. A spectacular exercet
launched from distance by full-back Damien Dashtie on 25
minutes flashed just over as Brig continued to dominate.
To their credit Radcliffe stuck doggedly to their game-plan
and toiled away in midfield where they enjoyed a certain
amount of equality with their hosts. McCormick came to the
home side’s aid after 35 minutes making a good save
from a header by Craig Danson following a well placed cross
by Michael Oates.
Brig came back strongly and Salmon brought the best out
of Boro keeper Lake on 40 minutes when he dived low to prevent,
what looked like, a certain goal, after the Brig man had
turned and sent in a rasping snap-shot from the edge of
the box.
John Carroll was desperately unlucky to see two shots from
close in blocked on the goal-line before a Spencer effort
was deflected wide in the same goalmouth melee. Glenn Steel
then went close with a header from the resultant corner-kick.
The home side were not to be denied however and were rewarded
for their dominance right on the stroke of half-time. A
Matty Mahoney header split the Boro defence wide open on
45 minutes and Porter unselfishly played a neat lay-off
into the path of RYAN SALMON who clinically rammed the ball
home past the exposed Lake for his 17th goal of the campaign.
Any hope of a Boro revival after the interval was comprehensively
wiped out in the 47th minute with a third Brig strike following
a flurry of pot-shots on the visiting goal. Salmon, Spencer,
Carroll and Steel each saw efforts blocked before NEIL SPENCER
hooked the ball home following a Porter lay-off with the
visiting defence all over the place.
With the points apparently in the bag, the home team took
their foot off the pedal and allowed Boro more space in
which to build up some promising moves. Dashti hacked a
Howson header off the goal-line following a Tony Whealing
corner-kick on the hour mark and McCormick came out best
in a one-on-one duel with Howson five minutes later.
Radcliffe enjoyed their best spell of the game and despite
the unassailable deficit pressurised the hitherto untroubled
home defence. Dashti once again denied Howson on the goal-line
on 81 minutes following an Andy Wayne flag-kick, but try
as they may, the powder-puff Boro attacks lacked both potency
and accuracy.
At the other end Carroll put in substitute Dave Eaton but
Brig’s new signing shot across the face of goal. In
the dying moments a cross-shot by Boro wingman Lee Connell
beat McCormick but the ball ran along the goal-line and
out to safety at the other side.
Bamber Bridge left the field as comfortable winners much
to the joy of, what was another disappointing attendance.
But it was the stay-away fans who missed out on yet another
night of excellent entertainment down at Irongate.
Bamber Bridge: McCormick, Fleming (Fletcher 57mins), Dashti, Williams (Melling 70mins), Tong, Steel, Carroll, M Mahoney, Salmon, Spencer (Eaton 72mins), Porter
Goals: Tong (14 mins), Salmon (45 mins), Spencer (47 mins)
Attendance: 173
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