Official website of Bamber Bridge Football Club
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Home > 2009-10 Season > Match Reports > Rossendale United (10.10.09) |
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MATCH REPORTBamber Bridge 0 Rossendale United 0Northern Premier League 1st Division Northat QED Stadium, IrongateSaturday 10th October 2009By Dave Rowland
After the postponement of their FA Trophy Preliminary Round replay against Market Drayton Town during the week, the South Ribble side were keen for a return to action. Also, they were relieved to be back in league action after not having played a First Division North fixture since the game at Prescot Cables on the 19th September. Indeed, Brig’s last four outings have seen them involved in various cup competitions. Therefore, they were determined to keep in touch with the leading pack in the division following their involuntary absence away from league matters. Rossendale United arrived at Irongate desperately needing the points after a slow start to the campaign. The Dark Lane outfit who finished bottom of the pile last season, had only escaped relegation following a league reshuffle. Not surprisingly, they are keen to avoid suffering the same fate again this time around.
A very dull and overcast sky set the tone as Bamber Bridge, kicking off facing the clubhouse end, launched into a flurry of early raids. These faded by degrees, and whilst they did not relinquish their dominance, Brig simply failed to penetrate the well marshalled Stags defence. Brig full-back James Heywood found Craig Sargeson in space down the right flank in the first minute, but Lennie Reid was inches away from converting the resultant cross and six minutes later Colin McAllister headed over from a Jerome Watt free-kick. The Stags responded with Jason Hart, Fran Powell and Alex Leke linking up well on a couple of occasions, but the home defence held firm and all the visitors worthy efforts came to naught.
The visitors could have got their noses in front just past the half-hour mark when full-back Danny Thomas found Hart in space down the right with an astute pass out of defence, but Powell directed his header over the crossbar from a good position following the resultant centre. Then ten minutes later Leke misdirected a shot over when he should really have done better following some good work by Tom Smith. Bamber Bridge looked uncharacteristically sluggish but nearly got through a few minutes before the break when Watt put Eastwood in on goal with a fine through-ball. However, Brocklehurst came out quickly to block Eastwood’s effort at point-blank range. Brig were relieved to go in at the interval on level terms when Leke had the ball in the net for Rossendale seconds before half-time, the effort being ruled out for hand ball.
Brig came desperately close to breaking the deadlock on 50 minutes when former Stags boss Phil Eastwood turned and shot inches past an upright following a long free-kick taken by goalkeeper Mike Hale. Powell had the best chance of the afternoon for the visitors on 52 minutes after being put through by the hardworking Tom Smith, but the big striker fluffed his lines and meekly toe-poked his effort straight into the hands of the exposed Hale in the Brig goal. Skipper Neil Reynolds, who had laboured well all afternoon in midfield for Bamber Bridge, tried hard to inspire the home side. Frustratingly however, there was little punch in front of goal by the Brig front line, and it was left to midfielder Reid to show the way when his pile-driver, from the edge of the box, just cleared the Rossy crossbar on the hour mark, following some good work down the left flank by Lee Pryers.
The home side stepped up a gear, and following a flurry of corner-kicks, Ashley Dunn came close with a couple of worthy efforts. The visitors defence stood grimly to their task, as Brig began to run out of ideas, and they almost stole the points themselves with just three minutes left on the clock, when Hart shot just over from the edge of the box in time added-on. Bamber Bridge: Mike Hale, James Heywood, Lee Pryers, Martin Moran, Colin McAllister, Ashley Dunn, Jerome Watt, Neil Reynolds, Craig Sargeson (Phil Denney 37mins), Phil Eastwood (Watson 86mins), Lennie Reid (Chris Marlow 71mins). Unused subs: Shane Oldfield, Ryan-zico Black Goals: - Rossendale United: Tom Brocklehurst, Danny Thomas, Keith Wedge, Andy Charlesworth (Alex Mallion 86mins), Tom Clarkson, Matt Walsh (Sean Pearson 71mins), Jason Hart, Tom Smith, Fran Powell, Alex Leke (Jack Brierley 80mins), Danny Ellis. Unused Subs: Adam Wagstaffe, Andy Eayle Goals: - Attendance: 237
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This must go down as one of the poorest Lancashire derbies ever witnessed at Bamber Bridge’s Irongate ground with little incident all afternoon and with meaningful efforts on goal at a premium. Despite this, Rossendale United’s manager John Hughes will be the happier boss, with his struggling side having fought hard for a well deserved point. Brig huffed and puffed throughout but their shortcomings in attack were fully exposed against a side who had conceded 16 goals this season and lay next to bottom of the table in the First Division North.
Brig manager Tony Greenwood made three changes to his starting line-up from the FA Trophy tie at Market Drayton Town seven days previously. Colin McAllister came into the middle of defence to replace club skipper Phil Robinson who was unavailable. New signing from AFC Fylde, Jerome Watt, made his Brig debut replacing Ryan-Zico Black in midfield with Black named amongst the substitutes. Former Stags hero, Craig Sargeson, returned from injury to lead the line in place of Carl Lomax who was recovering from a knock picked up at Market Drayton Town last weekend.
A fine combination of passes between Watt and Reid down the left flank for Brig on 21 minutes looked promising, but Rossendale goalkeeper Tom Brocklehurst somehow managed to keep out Reid’s drive at full stretch.
The second period was to prove just as frustrating for Brig supporters, in one of the biggest attendances of the season at Irongate, with visitors looking the more enterprising early on. Leke saw his overhead kick tipped over by Brig goalkeeper Mike Hale on 47 minutes and from the resultant flag-kick by Hart, Andrew Charlesworth headed narrowly over the crossbar.
Another Rossy attempt went a-begging on 65 minutes when Smith headed over from a corner-kick by Hart.
