MAGIC!!!<br>WHS.
Very good going forward, lacklustre at the back - heavy pitch (to be expected) but actually better than I thought it’d be.<br><br>Good to see connors back, frostys goal was excellent.<br><br>Pies were nice.<br><br>See you at Rushden!
The Bamber Bridge view of the game;<br><br><br>Witton Albion proved too stiff an opposition for the First Division side in this thrilling and evenly fought Third Round League Challenge Cup tie, grabbing the winner in the closing minutes of the game to break the hearts of their gallant hosts. Although looking the stronger of the two sides, Albion could not relax for a minute as Bamber Bridge threatened throughout. With four debutants in their line-up the Lancashire side fought back from two goals down early in the game to regain parity just before the break to set up an intriguing second half battle.<br><br>This tie had all the makings of a thriller with in-form Premier Division side Witton Albion hoping to claim a place in the 4th Round at the expense of their First Division hosts. The Cheshire side arrived at Irongate on a high after completely demolishing Clitheroe 8-1 in the previous round of the competition. On the other hand Bamber Bridge were hoping to extend a good run which has seen the South Ribble side lose just two of their previous eight league and cup games. They were also looking to remain undefeated since Phil Entwistle took charge of first team affairs during Christmas week following the departure of manager Andy Whittaker.<br><br>The Brig line-up included four debutants. Full-back Stuart Horn made his first start replacing the injured James Archer, whilst former Clitheroe striker Ian Johnson was preferred to lead the line over Niel Spencer who was named as one of the substitutes. Loan signings from Morecambe Jon Smith and Paul Lloyd took their places in midfield instead of the injured Danny Mahoney and Tom Ince who was named as a sub.<br><br>The pitch was sticky following a continuous downpour during the morning and the visitors came out of the blocks first with a storming opening which produced two goals within the first 15 minutes.<br><br>After only three minutes of play a sweeping Alex Brown free-kick caused all sorts of problems for the Brig defence and Adam Warlow was first to react touching the ball home from close range.<br><br>Before the home side had time to get their act together they found themselves two goals down. A superb through ball from distance by Brown completely opened up the home defence and Carl Frost ran on to fire confidently past the stranded David Newnes in the Bamber Bridge goal.<br><br>Despite this devastating set-back and to their credit the First Division side refused to roll over and die. Alex Porter and Ryan Salmon were constantly causing problems at the back for Albion with some telling runs. After Brig central defender Allan Fleming saw his header cleared from the goal line the home team struck back with a vengeance scoring twice in as many minutes to completely turn the game on it?s head.<br><br>In the 35th minute Albion full-back Darren Hockenhull brought Alex Porter down inside the penalty area and the flying wingman dusted himself down before dispatching the resultant spot-kick with confidence beyond goalkeeper Jon Kennedy?s despairing dive for his 15th goal of the season. Two minutes later and the Lancastrians were back on level terms when Porter turned provider when his neat cross from the left found Salmon in space and the young Brig striker slotted the ball past Kennedy as the keeper came out to narrow the angle.<br><br>The second half was an evenly balanced game with both sides going close on several occasions although the visitors had the edge. Indeed, it was turning out to be an enthralling cup-tie.<br><br>Lively Albion wingman Robb Lloyd fired in a corner on 65 minutes and Tony Barras was unlucky to see his effort touched round the post for a corner by the Brig defence. From the resultant flag kick Albion?s man-of-the-match Shaun Miller forced a brilliant save out of Newnes.<br><br>At the other end Porter and Salmon continued to pull the Albion defence apart with some penetrating play and Porter came ever so close after 70 minutes when he fired a shot just over the crossbar following an Edmeads free-kick.<br><br>The Premier Division side pushed forward at every opportunity and were well served by Lloyd and the energetic Miller who probed the home defence effectively. However, Brig remained a constant threat and the Albion rearguard were having to work overtime to quell the menace posed by Porter and Salmon.<br><br>A Lloyd free-kick was headed onto a post by veteran Brian Pritchard on 75 minutes as the visitors stepped up a gear.<br><br>They made their superiority count just before full-time with Pritchard again involved. He ran on to a defence splitting through-ball from midfield before setting up Warlow who fired home the winner much to the relief and delight of the away following.<br><br>It had been a close run thing and Albion go into the Fourth Round draw but it could so easily have been Bamber Bridge through to the next stage of the competition and they can justifiably feel that they had been unlucky. <br> <br>Bamber Bridge: Newnes, Myers, Horn, Fleming, Melling, Edmeads, Lloyd (Ince 70mins), Smith, Johnson (Spencer 82mins), Salmon, Porter. unused sub: Gallagher.<br><br>Attendance: 176<br> <br>
UniBond League Cup 3rd Round ? Saturday January 6th 2007
BAMBER BRIDGE 2 WITTON ALBION 3 att 176
TEAM: Kennedy: Hockenhull, Pritchard, Barras, Brownhill; Miller (Gahgan 89), Connors, Brown Alex, Lloyd; Warlow, Frost (Jones G. 61). Sub n/u Spearritt
Somewhat of a case of groundhog day for the large bunch of Albion supporters who not only ensured a larger than average Irongate crowd, especially when it was for a League Cup match, but cleared the amply stocked canteen of their pies before kick-off. Groundhog day ? yes! - as just like Woodley Sports, three weeks earlier, Albion travelled to a Division One team who?d knocked out two Premier sides earlier in the relevant cup competition and who over the years boasted that they?d beaten Albion in the two previous cup-ties played. So all in all Witton again, eventually, rid themselves of another hoodoo.
Just like the previous tie Albion stormed into the lead and with under a quarter of an hour on the clock looked on course to repeat the 8 goal thrashing they?d given Clitheroe. In the 4th minute stand-in ?physio? Mike Moseley left the field after producing the ?magic sponge? on Liam Brownhill, who?d been felled by Robin Myers that saw a yellow card issued. From the resulting free-kick, Alex Brown floated the ball towards the far post, Brian Pritchard, now with just Alf Ashley?s 604 appearances record to beat, headed back across goal, Shaun Miller got up well but saw his header blocked by keeper David Newnes only for ADAM WARLOW to stab the ball home from close range.
Albion were sweeping forward at every opportunity and the very lenient referee Pat Dunn allowed several lunging challengers to go un-cautioned. The expected 2nd goal came on 13 minutes and in all honesty was the result of the best passing moves of the whole season. Steve Connors had started the move from deep in his own half and following a further three smart passes the ball was at Brown?s feet. It seemed that telepathy was used between the midfield dynamo and CARL FROST who timed his run to absolute perfection and avoided any off-side to run onto Brown?s slide rule pass and plant the ball past the advancing Newnes.
On 20 minutes Frost went close with a header following yet another Rob Lloyd free-kick. 5 minutes later Jon Kennedy produced a good save when he diverted a strong shot from the left away for a corner. From the resulting flag-kick the custodian was left relieved when Brig defender Allan Fleming?s header struck the post and cannoned back into the keeper?s hands. Albion reacted by again probing forward and Frost was prominent in a good move that ended with Lloyd curling his effort narrowly wide.
Ten minutes from the interval though Brig were back into the game when Darren Hockenhull?s challenge on Alex Porter saw them awarded a penalty. Porter took the spot-kick himself and confidently hit it into the far left side and beyond Kennedy?s dive. Worse was to follow when three minutes later too many defenders were stranded upfield and with Hockenhull facing two attackers as they broke quickly forward Porter drew him before laying the ball off to Ryan Salmon who slotted the ball past Kennedy as he came out to narrow the angle.
The second period?s first real scoring chance came on 59 minutes when Warlow emerged from a tussle with the ball, quickly laid it to Brown but his clever lob attempt was thwarted by Newnes who clutched the ball under the cross-bar. On 65 minutes a Lloyd corner saw Tony Barras denied when his effort was deflected around the post for another corner. The flag kick was cleared but Miller collected the ball and fired in from the edge of the box that saw Newnes, growing in stature throughout the half, produce a save equal to Miller?s attempt. The Lloyd free-kick, Pritchard header combination went close to breaking the deadlock with 15 minutes left, the base of the post coming to Brig?s rescue.
Griff Jones, having replaced the hard working Frost just after the hour mark, saw him also in the thick of most of the attacking moves. With the 90 minutes ever drawing near and the Wittoners, remembering the two previous cup-ties with Bamber Bridge, a sense of d?j? vu was creeping in though. Two minutes from time though Jones collected the ball wide on the left, cut in and was aware enough that when his own shot rebounded back to him he spotted ADAM WARLOW centre-goal in space. The striker calmly notched up his 17th goal of the season by placing his shot between the two Brig defenders stood on the goal-line.
So Albion?s amazing run of cup successes continues with just one loss in their 14 ties this season. With the two crunch ties coming up in the next week or so then let?s all hope we can still say the same after them!
But did Benny have his shorts on??!!??
Well done to all the guys for Saturday - When is the draw for the next round?