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Home > 2008-09 Season > Match Reports > Radcliffe Borough (27.01.09)

MATCH REPORT

Radcliffe Borough 3 Bamber Bridge 2

Northern Premier League 1st Division North

at Stainton Park

Tuesday 27th January 2009

By Dave Rowland

Bamber Bridge’s rapidly deteriorating promotion ambitions took a further knock last night as they fell to their fourth consecutive league defeat against First Division North strugglers Radcliffe Borough at a very wet and windy Stainton Park. Despite going in at the break 1-2 down after an evenly contested first 45 minutes, the South Ribble side totally dominated proceedings in the second period. However, after failing to take advantage of their superiority, they lost the game following a rare lapse of concentration which was to cost them dearly.

Brig arrived at Radcliffe keen to get back on track after having lost five and drawn one of their last six outings. The Irongate side were hoping to continue with the improvement shown at Dimple Wells against Ossett Albion on Saturday despite the narrow defeat. ‘Boro’ were also keen to reverse their fortunes following a recent slide down into the next to bottom spot in the First Division North table. Their cause was not helped any at the weekend when they suffered a 0-2 reverse at fellow strugglers Chorley. Indeed, you have to go back to the 8th November since ’Boro’ last won in the league, when beating lowly Harrogate Railway Athletic by 1-0 at Stainton Park.

Brig manager Phil Entwistle made just one change to his starting line-up from the game at Dimple Wells at the weekend. Mark Edmeads was preferred to Stephen Brown on the right of midfield, with Brown taking his place on the substitutes bench.

The early sparring was evenly contested as both sides probed for an opening. The visitors were first to show after 12 minutes when former Chorley goalkeeper Phil Priestly tipped an Alex Porter ’daisy-cutter’ around the left-hand goalpost at full stretch.

Bamber Bridge began to build up some pressure with some inventive play and it wasn’t long before their endeavours were rewarded with a goal on 17 minutes. Ryan-Zico Black sent in an in-swinging corner-kick from the left, and in the ensuing melee COLIN McALLISTER bundled the ball home from close in, to claim his first goal for the club.

Brig were unable to hold on to their lead for any length of time however, and ‘Boro’ responded in the grand manner, with an equaliser in the 22nd minute. Their goal also came about as a result of a well struck corner-kick; taken on the left by Mark Drew. CRAIG DAWSON rose majestically at the back post to plant a bullet header firmly into the net.

Despite the set-back, Bamber Bridge began to impose themselves on the game and almost got their noses back in front on the half-hour mark when a Mike Mason cross was powered towards goal by Black, but ‘Boro’ midfielder Mark Jones blocked the effort with a header as he bravely threw himself in the way. A few minutes later Priestley got down well to deny Neil Zarac following a fine Porter lay-off.

Brig were not having things all their own way and the home side put in a strong challenge near to the half-time break. Griff Jones came close for ‘Boro’, shooting narrowly over following a neat through-ball from Martyn Forrest before their efforts were rewarded with a goal on 44 minutes. Brig goalkeeper Andy Banks palmed away a blockbuster from full-back Owen Roberts and former Brigger ADAM ROSCOE followed up to slot home from just inside the box.

The visitors came out with renewed determination after the break and within a minute of the restart were back on level terms. Alex Porter put in a telling cross following some fine work by skipper Glenn Steel down the left, and RYAN-ZICO BLACK finished off the move in style at the back post.

Roscoe came close for ‘Boro’ on 50 minutes, shooting narrowly wide from distance.

However, Bamber Bridge were dominating play with some delightful football and Tom Ince drove just beyond the post on 62 minutes as the home team defended desperately. Brig were moving forward in swarms and a Mason shot fizzed agonisingly across the face of goal following a throw-in down the right. Black then shot over following a Porter cross as the pressure mounted and Priestley made a brilliant finger-tip save from a Porter drive on 72 minutes after Brig’s leading marksman had been put in by Zarac. It just seemed a matter of time before Brig scored and Zarac just failed to get his head on the end of yet another fine Porter cross.

As so often happens, the team ‘on the rack’ struck back with the proverbial ‘sucker punch’, when, completely against the run of play, they got, what in the end, proved to be the winner in the 76th minute. Full-back OWEN ROBERTS took full advantage of a bad slip by the visitors in midfield, before cutting down the unprotected inside-left position. He then unleashed a fierce drive into the far corner of the net across beleaguered Brig goalkeeper Banks much to the delight of the meagre home support.

Despite all their frantic efforts to salvage something from the game in the dying minutes, the South Ribble side had simply run out of ideas, and after being outplayed throughout most of the second-half, ‘Boro’ somehow emerged victorious.

Radcliffe Borough: -

Goals: Craig Dawson (22mins), Adam Roscoe (45mins), Roberts (76mins)

Bamber Bridge: Andy Banks, Jamie Nay, Michael Mason (Graham Mitchell 83mins), Colin McAllister, Dave McCann, Glenn Steel, Mark Edmeads (Steve Brown 65mins), Ryan Zico-Black, Neil Zarac, Alex Porter, Tom Ince. Unused subs: Kyrstian Liptrot

Goals: Colin McAllister (17mins), Ryan Zico-Black (46mins)

Attendance: 85