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Home > 2008-09 Season > Match Reports > Rossendale United (16.09.08)

MATCH REPORT

Rossendale United 2 Bamber Bridge 3

Northern Premier League 1st Division North

at Dark Lane

Tuesday 16th September 2008

By Dave Rowland

This 3-2 success in East Lancashire against Rossendale United was Bamber Bridge’s 600th league win since the club was formed in 1974. The visitors gave a fine performance and the margin of success was much wider than the score-line suggests. In a fast and furious opening Brig were 3-1 to the good within 30 minutes and although the second period was far less hectic, the Irongate side coasted to a comfortable victory, despite a late rally by their out of sorts hosts.

Brig arrived at Newchurch hoping to get back on track following Saturday’s disappointment in the FA Cup, and were also keen to keep up with the early pace setters in the First Division North. The South Ribble side were eager to maintain their good run of form in recent seasons at Dark Lane, having won on their last three league visits. Rossendale United were on a high after beating Woodley Sports 3-1 away from home in the First Qualifying Round of the FA Cup on Saturday, with prolific goal-scorer Phil Eastwood on the score-sheet with a couple of strikes; to claim his sixth and seventh goals of the season. The victory had extended the ‘Stags’ unbeaten run to 7 games.

Brig boss Phil Entwistle made three changes to his side from the FA Cup game against Witton Albion at the weekend and also made several positional alterations. Stuart Howson returned to the defence releasing Tom Ince from his full-back responsibilities, with the former Burnley man taking over from Mike Mason on the left flank. Steve Flitcroft, who was forced to leave the action early against Witton Albion through injury, was replaced by Mark Edmeads. Stephen Brown came in on the right to replace Ryan-Zico Black, who took over from Sean O’Neil in the front-line. Both O’Neil and Mason took their places on the bench.

Rossy kicked off on a dank and dismal East Lancashire night, but found themselves 1-3 down within half an hours play.

Brig took the early initiative and came close twice within the opening minutes. United goalkeeper Billy Carrington saved with his feet from a fierce Tom Ince cross-shot from the left after only 3 minutes and a few moments later saved an Alex Porter drive following a neat interchange in the inside-left position between Ince and Danny Mahoney.

The home side responded when a Phil Eastwood lay-off was fired just wide of an upright by former Brigger John Turner.

However, the visitors swarmed about the home defence like demented lions let out of their cage, and Porter just failed to take advantage of a defensive slip, firing his shot across the face of the goal from a good position.

The pressure told when Bamber Bridge deservedly took the lead after 18 minutes. Glenn Steel headed Adam Tong’s centre back across the goalmouth and as the ball spun off Carrington, STEPHEN BROWN reacted first and nodded the loose ball home from close in.

Five minutes later the visitors were two goals to the good following yet another flurry of raids on the home goal. Carrington punched the ball clear under pressure from Porter and MARK EDMEADS sent in a skilfully controlled volley from just outside the penalty area to put Brig in the driving seat.

In the 27th minute the game was effectively over when Bamber Bridge increased their lead to three. The industrious Black robbed James Heywood, as the ‘Stags’ defender attempted to clear his lines, and rolled the ball into the path of ALEX PORTER who drew Carrington from his goal-line before firing home with confidence.

United hit back immediately when Andrew Watson launched a superb long range through-ball which completely split the Brig defence and PHIL EASTWOOD took advantage by motoring past the last defender and expertly driving home beyond the stranded Andy Banks in the Brig goal.

For a while the goal seemed to galvanize the home team and Eastwood came close to his second with a cross-shot from the left. Then a Turner free-kick was just missed at the back post by the inrushing Michael Saunders before an Eastwood header flew inches wide following a dangerous cross from the right by Craig Flowers.

Despite this, The visitors should really have gone further ahead when Porter missed a good opportunity, lifting his shot over the crossbar when a Black blockbuster came back off Carrington. Porter was desperately unlucky on the stoke of half-time however, when Carrington somehow scrambled his goal-bound effort around the post.

The second period was comparably much quieter than the action-packed first-half but Bamber Bridge continued to call all the shots. Tong came close with a snap-shot on 50 minutes following a Brown corner-kick which had caused the home rearguard all sorts of problems. Then a one-two between Ince and Black down the left almost paid off.

To their credit, Rossy kept plugging away, despite the constant threat of being overrun. Andrew Watson went close on the hour mark after good work by Eastwood and five minutes later full-back Heywood saw his worthy long-range effort smothered by Banks.

Brig’s 72nd minute substitutes Sean O’Neil and Mike Mason made an immediate impact when Mason fired narrowly over from an O’Neil lay-off, with the rolls reversed a few minutes later. Then O’Neil came within a whisker of scoring on 80 minutes when his header from a Howson cross went inches wide at the back post.

With four minutes left on the clock United grabbed a second goal when a Turner free-kick from out wide on the right was headed home at the back post by ANDREW WATSON. However, it was too little and too late for the East Lancashire side, as Bamber Bridge comfortably saw out the last few minutes.

Rossendale United:Billy Carrington, Craig Flowers, James Heywood, Andrew Watson, Dene Whittall-Williams (Paul Derrick 72mins), Bill Robertson, Michael Saunders, Richard Watson, John Turner, Phil Eastwood, Tom Williams (Matt Ward 59mins) SUBS NOT USED: Marcus Calvert, Tom Clarkson, Kevin Brown

Goals: Eastwood (28 mins), Andrew Watson (86 mins)

Bamber Bridge: Andy Banks, Dave McCann, Stuart Howson, Glenn Steel, Adam Tong, Mark Edmeads, Stephen Brown, Danny Mahoney (Allan Fleming 76mins), Ryan-Zico Black (Sean O'Neil 72mins), Alex Porter, Tom Ince (Mike Mason 72mins) SUBS NOT USED: Joe Peterson GK

Goals: Steve Brown (18 mins), Mark Edmeads (22 mins), Alex Porter (26 mins)

Attendance: 109