Official website of Bamber Bridge Football Club
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MATCH REPORTBamber Bridge 1 Trafford 4Northern Premier Football League Presidents Cup 3rd Roundat QED Stadium, IrongateTuesday 23rd December 2008By Dave RowlandBamber Bridge suffered their 7th home defeat of the season as they crashed out of the League President’s Cup against a Trafford side who played with skill and passion throughout. The South Ribble side were chasing shadows all night and could so easily have lost by a greater margin. There was little cohesion in the Brig’s performance and the visitors took full advantage with a fine display to comfortably book their place in the 4th Round. The sides were looking to complete this tie at the third attempt after the original game was abandoned after 90 minutes due to a heavy frost on the 9th December and was called off again last Wednesday evening when the Irongate pitch was waterlogged. Bamber Bridge were keen to complete the league and cup ‘double’ over their Manchester guests and were looking to make further progress in a competition that they had won four years ago. Trafford arrived at Irongate hoping to avenge their 0-2 defeat in the league at the end of November. The scheduled league fixture at home to Rossendale United on Saturday had been postponed due to a waterlogged Irongate pitch and therefore ten days had elapsed since Brig‘s last game. Brig boss Phil Entwistle made five changes to the starting line-up from their last game, which was at Clitheroe over a week previously, and this could have been his undoing. Defenders Adam Tong and Jamie Nay were replaced by Colin McAllister and Krystian Liptrot. In midfield Steve Flitcroft and Ryan-Zico Black were replaced by Mark Edmeads and Mike Mason. Anthony Murt returned to lead the attack in place of Neil Zarac. The visitors kicked off on a mild and pleasant December evening but Brig made most of the early running. A Colin McAllister cross from deep on the right was headed narrowly wide at the back post by Anthony Murt after just two minutes. However, the home side flattered to deceive as Trafford soon gained the initiative with some neat and brisk passing. It was a style that the Mancunians managed to maintain throughout, as Brig floundered in midfield with an inept display. Indeed, Trafford should have taken the lead as early as the 11th minute when an excellent cross by Chris Makay found leading marksman Scott Barlow completely unmarked at the near post but Barlow’s header went wide with the goal at his mercy. Trafford did not have long to wait for the opener though as the Brig rearguard struggled to cope with Barlow’s speed off the mark. A classic three man move in the 14th minute, started by impressive midfielder Gareth Thomas, who found Makay in space down the right, was finished off in style by SCOTT BARLOW who sliced his shot over the head of Brig goalkeeper Andy Banks. Trafford continued to take the game to Brig with some incisive play, but the home side responded when Ryan Bowen played a neat lay-off to Mark Edmeads but the midfielders low drive was easily dealt with by visiting goalkeeper Aaron Tyrer. Barlow’s speed was responsible for a second Trafford goal on 25 minutes when he broke free down the left flank before firing in a fierce cross which was volleyed home passed his own goalkeeper by RYAN BOWEN with the home defence in complete disarray. Banks then did well to keep out a Makay shot following a well struck Andy Lundy cross, as the visitors threatened to overrun their lacklustre hosts. Trafford playmaker Thomas was dictating the midfield and Barlow tormented the Brig back line with some tantalising runs. Indeed, the visitors nearly increased their lead on 39 minutes following a dreadful lapse of concentration by the home defence. Harry Winter’s drive cannoned off the base of the goalpost with a cross-shot from the right as he took advantage of some sloppy defending. Then Banks did well to put off Barlow shortly afterwards as the in-form striker pounced upon another defensive error, but shot over under pressure from the Brig keeper. After an Alex Porter effort had been hacked off the goal-line by Thomas, the home side were handed a lifeline when Tom Ince was upended in the penalty box on the stroke of half-time. ALEX PORTER confidently blasted home from the spot for his 16th goal of the season. Any thoughts that this bit of good fortune would rouse the home side in the second-half rapidly disappeared as Trafford came out in a confident mood to play some of the best football seen at Irongate this season. Indeed, they almost got a third goal on 46 minutes, when, following some fine work by Winter and Lundy, Kayed Coppin fired narrowly past the far post with a rasping drive across the face of goal. Barlow continued to cause consternation amongst the Brig defence with some slick play as he interlinked menacingly with Winter. However, it was another Trafford combination that completely undid the home defence just past the hour mark with a third goal. A defence-splitting cross by Makay on 61 minutes was touched home from close in by substitute BRADLEY BARNES. Steve Brown saw his corner-kick cleared off the goal-line as Brig tried to respond but from here on in it was just a procession to the other end as the rampant Mancunians tore into their disjointed hosts. A Coppin cross, touched on by Lundy, saw Metcalf’s overhead kick go just over the crossbar on 70 minutes, before Makay went close twice in as many minutes with worthy efforts as Brig wilted under pressure. Banks tipped over a Barnes drive following good work by Metcalf before the same player struck the top of the crossbar with a shot after a well placed corner-kick by Makay. More Trafford chances went awry before they scored a fourth goal six minutes from time. SCOTT METCALF dispossessed Banks on the edge of the box before shooting home into an empty net and Brig’s misery was complete. Worryingly, this was the 17th goal conceded by Brig in their last three outings. Bamber Bridge: Andy Banks, Colin McAllister, Ryan Bowen, Glenn Steel, Krystian Liptrot (Allan Fleming 68mins), Mark Edmeads, Steve Brown, Michael Mason, Anthony Murt, Alex Porter, Tom Ince (Sean O'Neil 68mins). Unused sub: Ryan-Zico Black, Jamie Nay Goals: Alex Porter (45mins) Trafford: Aaron Tyrer, Simon Woodford, Sam Halligan, Shaun Whitehead, Lee Southwood, Gareth Thomas (Bradley Barnes 45mins), Chris Mackay, Harry Winter, Andy Lundy, Scott Barlow (Scott Metcalfe 65mins), Kayde Coppin. Unused Subs: Billy McCartney, Tony Coyne, Damien Rooney Goals: Scott Barlow (14mins), Ryan Bowen own goal (25mins), Bradley Barnes (61mins), Scott Metcalf (84mins) Attendance: 103 Stat of the game: 150th competitive start for captain Glenn Steel
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