01 May 2008 12:10 AM
BAMBER Bridge's best season in the past decade has come to an abrupt end after a narrow defeat in the play-off semi-finals to FC United
Phil Entwistle's young side had started the game well with striker Ryan Salmon watching his deflected shot rebound off the crossbar.
Meanwhile his strike partner Neil Zarac had two opportunities to hand Brig the lead before FC started to string to gether some great passes and play.
Against the run of play FC United took the lead with a well-taken goal.
Swift passing and a great flick by Nicky Platt set up Adam Carden to shoot into the top left corner of the goal on 22 minutes.
Brig's best chance of the first half came when young winger Tom Ince pounced on a mistake by the FC defence and was through on goal only for his touch to let him down in the box.
The one man Phil Entwistle had described as a threat - Ryan Patterson extended FC United's lead when he slotted home into an empty goal on 37 minutes.
The introduction of Ryan-Zico Black after the interval had an immediate effect as it was free-kick set up a goal for Neil Zsrac to score his first goal for the club.
Brig's hopes of a revival were quashed when a mistake in defence by Adam Tong saw the ball break for winger Jerome Wright to regain a two goal cushion.
With 15 minutes remaining Brig through caution to the wind by using Tong's aerial power upfront.It had the desired effect as Neil Zarac grabbed his second goal of the night to give Brig hope.
In a controversial end to the game there was only three minutes of added time despite a few stoppages and injuries and it proved to be too little too late for Brig.
Brig: McCormick, Steel, Crowder (Edmead 46), Williams, Tong, Bowen (Fleming 74), Ince (Zico Black 45), Mahoney (D), Zarac, Salmon and Porter (C)
Showing posts with label Leyland Guardian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Leyland Guardian. Show all posts
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
The showdown! Brig take on FC United
Published Date: 30 April 2008
By Robert Kelly
Brig boss Phil Entwistle admits he would be itching to pull on his football kit and be involved in the play-off semi-final at the cauldron of Gigg Lane tonight.
Entwistle and Neil Crowe, who are in their first full season in charge, will be forced to direct their players against FC United of Manchester from the sidelines.
He said: "I'd love to be out there playing and there is nothing better as a footballer than to go into that kind of atmosphere and win. This is what we have worked hard for and it is a one-off game being decided on the night.
"At least if I was a Brig player I would have the ability to change the game whereas as a manager all we can do is bring a few substitutes on and hope they can influence the result."
Entwistle believes Brig will not be phased by the pressure cooker atmosphere after being denied a win earlier in March when FC United snatched a 2-2 draw deep into seven minutes of injury time.
He said: "It is going to be a great match and this is what we have worked for all season. We are selfish as we know we are a team of winners if we play at our best and we have nothing to fear going over there."
Brig's league form against FC United is impressive after recording a win and two draws during this year's campaign but Entwistle hopes the occasion doesn't affect the players.
"The players are confident," he said. "Nerves will play their part but when they get their first touch, header and pass I think they will go.
Experience
"But we do have experienced players such as Adam Tong to help the players calm down.
"I will tell the players before they go out to play to the best of their ability and have no regrets when they come back into the dressing room. I will also tell them to remember the bigger games in the season when we won and repeat it."
A win would see Brig in the final on Saturday against the winners of Curzon Ashton and Skelmersdale.
By Robert Kelly
Brig boss Phil Entwistle admits he would be itching to pull on his football kit and be involved in the play-off semi-final at the cauldron of Gigg Lane tonight.
Entwistle and Neil Crowe, who are in their first full season in charge, will be forced to direct their players against FC United of Manchester from the sidelines.
He said: "I'd love to be out there playing and there is nothing better as a footballer than to go into that kind of atmosphere and win. This is what we have worked hard for and it is a one-off game being decided on the night.
"At least if I was a Brig player I would have the ability to change the game whereas as a manager all we can do is bring a few substitutes on and hope they can influence the result."
Entwistle believes Brig will not be phased by the pressure cooker atmosphere after being denied a win earlier in March when FC United snatched a 2-2 draw deep into seven minutes of injury time.
He said: "It is going to be a great match and this is what we have worked for all season. We are selfish as we know we are a team of winners if we play at our best and we have nothing to fear going over there."
Brig's league form against FC United is impressive after recording a win and two draws during this year's campaign but Entwistle hopes the occasion doesn't affect the players.
"The players are confident," he said. "Nerves will play their part but when they get their first touch, header and pass I think they will go.
Experience
"But we do have experienced players such as Adam Tong to help the players calm down.
"I will tell the players before they go out to play to the best of their ability and have no regrets when they come back into the dressing room. I will also tell them to remember the bigger games in the season when we won and repeat it."
A win would see Brig in the final on Saturday against the winners of Curzon Ashton and Skelmersdale.
Monday, March 03, 2008
FC United of Manchester 2 - 2 Bamber Bridge
Brig were robbed of a crucial win by a stoppage time equaliser on Saturday.
In front of FC United's biggest crowd of the season, the top of the table clash ended all square thanks to a Chris Baguley strike in the sixth minute of stoppage time.
Bamber Bridge's captain Alex Porter looked to have won the game when he latched on to a Tom Ince through ball to score in the 89th minute.
But it wasn't to be and the Irongate outfit left Gigg Lane feeling harshly treated by the officials.
An entertaining first half lived up to the atmosphere made by 3,348 fans, but it was the Brig followers who had the most to shout about as a strong penalty appeal was turned down in the 20th minute.
Ryan Bowen, playing in a midfield role, was put through by Danny Mahoney, and was floored inside the box as he went round United's 'keeper Aaron Grundy.
Amazingly Brig's appeals were waved away and Bowen was booked.
However, five minutes after half time Brig went in front.
Dave Eaton broke down the left and crossed for Porter to put Brig 1-0 up.
Two minutes later FC United were level when a long diagonal ball found Jerome Wright and his inch perfect cross from the left flank was converted by Simon Carden.
Chances came at both ends, but it was Brig who looked the more likley as FC began to tire towards the end.
Porter's second looked to have bagged all three points, but then came the inordinate amount of stoppage time and Baguley's 25-yard equaliser.
In front of FC United's biggest crowd of the season, the top of the table clash ended all square thanks to a Chris Baguley strike in the sixth minute of stoppage time.
Bamber Bridge's captain Alex Porter looked to have won the game when he latched on to a Tom Ince through ball to score in the 89th minute.
But it wasn't to be and the Irongate outfit left Gigg Lane feeling harshly treated by the officials.
An entertaining first half lived up to the atmosphere made by 3,348 fans, but it was the Brig followers who had the most to shout about as a strong penalty appeal was turned down in the 20th minute.
Ryan Bowen, playing in a midfield role, was put through by Danny Mahoney, and was floored inside the box as he went round United's 'keeper Aaron Grundy.
Amazingly Brig's appeals were waved away and Bowen was booked.
However, five minutes after half time Brig went in front.
Dave Eaton broke down the left and crossed for Porter to put Brig 1-0 up.
Two minutes later FC United were level when a long diagonal ball found Jerome Wright and his inch perfect cross from the left flank was converted by Simon Carden.
Chances came at both ends, but it was Brig who looked the more likley as FC began to tire towards the end.
Porter's second looked to have bagged all three points, but then came the inordinate amount of stoppage time and Baguley's 25-yard equaliser.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Bamber Bridge 0 FC United 0
Source: Leyland Guardian
10-man Brig hold out for point
By Sam Chadderton
It was a stalemate at Irongate as 10-man Brig held firm for a point against FC United in a fractious game.
Matt Mahoney saw red early in the second half for an ugly challenge which sparked a mass brawl.
But Brig's defence, marshalled by the superb Adam Tong, kept a below-par United side at arm's length to claim a valuable point.
In a fairly even first half between the two promotion contenders, the Manchester outfit created the first clear cut chance when Rory Patterson prodded a Jerome Wright cut-back past Brig 'keeper Terry McCormick, only for Ryan Bowen to clear off the line.
Patterson went even closer on 23 minutes when his swerving free kick was pushed on to the crossbar by McCormick.
Brig had openings of their own and leading scorer Ryan Salmon had a header pushed away by FC United's on-loan 'keeper Aaron Grundy on the half hour.
A minute later Stephen Brown whipped in a low cross from the right, Alex Porter swiveled in the corner of the six-yard box and poked a shot towards goal.
It was only half-cleared by the scrambling United defence and Salmon hit a left foot shot which Grundy somehow managed to cling on to on his goal line.
The last chance of the first half fell to United's sharpshooter Patterson. But after latching on to Stuart Rudd's flick on and nutmegging Glenn Steel, his rolled side foot finish went the wrong side of the upright.
At half time Tom Ince came on for Danny Mahoney, with Ryan Bowen moving into midfield, and the jet-heeled Ince slotting in at left back.
However, from the first whistle the football began to fall victim to the increasing number of late challenges and on 57 minutes the game boiled over.
A heavy touch from FC United'
s Wright, as he looked to break out of defence, enticed right back Matt Mahoney into a challenge which was late and over the top of the ball.
Every player bar the two goalkeepers joined in the ruck, with Mahoney seeing red and two FC players yellow once the officials had waded in.
Chances for both sides were at a premium for the remaining half hour with McCormick almost caught out by a quickly taken corner, just about scrambling back into his goal to save.
Then, in injury time, Brig almost stole it, but Porter's dangerous cross was tipped out of the path of the onrushing Dave Eaton by Grundy at full stretch.
A crowd of 1,236 watched the game end goalless, but not without incident, and the two evenly matched sides now have to do it all again at Gigg Lane next Saturday.
BRIG:
McCormick, M Mahoney, Bowen, Steel, Tong, Edmeads, Brown, D Mahoney (Ince 45), Salmon, Eaton, Porter.
10-man Brig hold out for point
By Sam Chadderton
It was a stalemate at Irongate as 10-man Brig held firm for a point against FC United in a fractious game.
Matt Mahoney saw red early in the second half for an ugly challenge which sparked a mass brawl.
But Brig's defence, marshalled by the superb Adam Tong, kept a below-par United side at arm's length to claim a valuable point.
In a fairly even first half between the two promotion contenders, the Manchester outfit created the first clear cut chance when Rory Patterson prodded a Jerome Wright cut-back past Brig 'keeper Terry McCormick, only for Ryan Bowen to clear off the line.
Patterson went even closer on 23 minutes when his swerving free kick was pushed on to the crossbar by McCormick.
Brig had openings of their own and leading scorer Ryan Salmon had a header pushed away by FC United's on-loan 'keeper Aaron Grundy on the half hour.
A minute later Stephen Brown whipped in a low cross from the right, Alex Porter swiveled in the corner of the six-yard box and poked a shot towards goal.
It was only half-cleared by the scrambling United defence and Salmon hit a left foot shot which Grundy somehow managed to cling on to on his goal line.
The last chance of the first half fell to United's sharpshooter Patterson. But after latching on to Stuart Rudd's flick on and nutmegging Glenn Steel, his rolled side foot finish went the wrong side of the upright.
At half time Tom Ince came on for Danny Mahoney, with Ryan Bowen moving into midfield, and the jet-heeled Ince slotting in at left back.
However, from the first whistle the football began to fall victim to the increasing number of late challenges and on 57 minutes the game boiled over.
A heavy touch from FC United'
s Wright, as he looked to break out of defence, enticed right back Matt Mahoney into a challenge which was late and over the top of the ball.
Every player bar the two goalkeepers joined in the ruck, with Mahoney seeing red and two FC players yellow once the officials had waded in.
Chances for both sides were at a premium for the remaining half hour with McCormick almost caught out by a quickly taken corner, just about scrambling back into his goal to save.
Then, in injury time, Brig almost stole it, but Porter's dangerous cross was tipped out of the path of the onrushing Dave Eaton by Grundy at full stretch.
A crowd of 1,236 watched the game end goalless, but not without incident, and the two evenly matched sides now have to do it all again at Gigg Lane next Saturday.
BRIG:
McCormick, M Mahoney, Bowen, Steel, Tong, Edmeads, Brown, D Mahoney (Ince 45), Salmon, Eaton, Porter.
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