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Home > 2009-10 Season > Match Reports > Woodley Sports (20.10.09)

MATCH REPORT

Bamber Bridge 2 Woodley Sports 2

Northern Premier League 1st Division North

at QED Stadium, Irongate

Tuesday 20th October 2009

By Dave Rowland

Bamber Bridge came back from two goals down in the last ten minutes, to earn themselves a point after an indifferent performance against lowly Woodley Sports. After conceding an own goal on the half-hour mark, Brig looked down and out following a second Woodley goal midway through the second period. However, the home side showed plenty of character when grabbing an unlikely point late in the game, with their Cheshire visitors having lost their way through lack of discipline.

Brig were simply just glad to get back into league action after contesting no less than six cup ties out of their last seven fixtures. They were also keen to return to winning ways following the narrow defeat at Premier Division side Frickley Athletic in the FA Trophy on Saturday. The South Ribble side were determined to keep in touch with the leading pack in the First Division North. Strugglers, Woodley Sports, arrived at Irongate looking to improve on their lowly position in the league after having won just one game in their opening eleven fixtures. ‘The Steelmen’ were hoping to extend their unbeaten run to three games following a 2-1 win over Leigh Genesis in the President’s Cup, seven days previously, and a well earned draw at Prescot Cables on Saturday. They were also looking to eradicate the memory of their horrendous 1-7 defeat at Lancaster City on the 10th of October.

Tony Greenwood made three changes to his Bamber Bridge starting eleven from the FA Trophy tie at Frickley Athletic at the weekend. Phil Robinson replaced Mathew Bell in the middle of the back line and Carl Lomax came in to lead the line in place of Phil Denney. Phil Eastwood partnered Lomax in attack, replacing Shane Oldfield. Bell, Denney and Oldfield were named amongst the substitutes.

The visitors kicked off at a very chilly Irongate, but the home side were first to show on 9 minutes when a Carl Lomax through ball put Danny Mahoney through on goal. Woodley goalkeeper, Ben Connett, came out to deny the Brig man, but the ball spun free and Mahoney was given a second bite of the cherry. However, visiting full-back Gary Furnival blocked the midfielder’s effort on the six-yard line and a golden opportunity was gone.

There was little to choose between the sides in this opening spell, but Brig did come close again on 14 minutes when a Phil Eastwood shot flew just beyond the angle of goalpost and crossbar, following a fine cross from Mahoney on the right.

At the other end, Tom Blacker threatened for ‘The Steelmen’ after robbing Phil Robinson on the left of goal, but Martin Moran quickly moved in and snuffed out the danger.

Woodley Sports got their noses in front on 30 minutes, albeit in fortuitous circumstances. Russell Headley cut in from the left and his shot from 25 yards out was glanced into his own net by full-back CHRIS MARLOW, the deflection completely wrong footing the stranded Mike Hale in the Bamber Bridge goal.

Two minutes later Brig almost got on level terms, when, following a goalmouth scramble, a full-blooded Eastwood drive was kept out by Connett.

Brig had looked out of sorts throughout the whole of the first-half, and despite some improvement immediately following the break, they continued to look somewhat lethargic against their workmanlike guests.

The home defence was nearly caught out on 58 minutes when Woodley’s Tom Blacker headed narrowly wide following an astute cross from the left by Furnival.

Bamber Bridge laboured fruitlessly, unable to penetrate the visiting defence, before Eastwood came close on the hour mark when he was inches away from reaching a cross from substitute Jerome Watt.

The visitors looked the more comfortable, playing with authority, to belie their lowly position in the table, and almost doubled their account on 67 minutes, when a Furnival header whistled inches past the goalpost from a Headley corner-kick. Their endeavours paid off in the 74th minute however, when they took, what looked like, an unassailable lead. The goal was a well worked three-man move, with Tom Sellers putting in a cross, and Mark Haslam knocking the ball on, for GAVIN SALMON to drive home at the back post.

Brig looked done for, but a late rally turned the match on its head. Busy midfielder, Ashley Dunn, was influential in both Brig goals. The home side began a late surge as their Cheshire guests began to lose their way, when they launched a flurry of dangerous raids on the Woodley goal. On 81 minutes Brig pulled a goal back when Dunn knocked the ball through to CARL LOMAX, and the former FC United of Manchester striker confidently shot home from 12 yards.

The goal galvanised an hitherto sluggish Bamber Bridge side, and after Lomax headed narrowly over from a James Heywood cross, the Lancastrians equalised on 86 minutes. Dunn clipped the ball over the static Woodley defence, and PHIL EASTWOOD was first to react to fire home his eighth goal of the campaign.

Panic spread through the visiting ranks as Brig audaciously went in search of a late winner and Lennie Reid came close to stealing all three points for Bamber Bridge when his free-kick went perilously close on 89 minutes. Facing four minutes of added time Woodley were needlessly reduced to ten men on 90 minutes when Mark Haslam, who had been cautioned twice within as many minutes, got his marching orders from referee Mr Bonney. However, despite the late, late show, Brig could not find the winner, and in truth if they had, it would have been a travesty.

Bamber Bridge: Mike Hale, James Heywood, Chris Marlow, Martin Moran, Phil Robinson, Ashley Dunn, Danny Mahoney, Neil Reynolds (Jerome Watt 35mins), Carl Lomax, Phil Eastwood, Lennie Reid. Unused subs: Lee Pryers, Phil Denney, Shane Oldfield, Mathew Bell.

Goals: Lomax (81 mins), Eastwood (86 mins)

Woodley Sports: -

Goals: Chris Marlow (own goal - 30mins), Gavin Salmon (74 mins)

Attendance: 109