Prescot Cables 2 - 1 Bamber Bridge (17/04/18)

Late deflection inflicts defeat on Brig.

Bamber Bridge suffered a 1-2 defeat at Volair Park against fellow promotion contenders Prescot Cables, courtesy of a 90th minute winner.

Cables went in ahead at the break but a goal from Adam Dodd levelled things up half way through the second half.

Brig looked the likelier of the two sides to win the game, but in the dying seconds a deflected strike from substitute Josh Klein-Davies looped into the back of the net.

It was almost the dream start for Brig when Matt Dudley slid Regan Linney through on goal, but the striker’s side footed shot on a bobbling surface clipped the outside of the post.

The first fifteen minutes were evenly contested with both sides looking dangerous on the counter attack, but on 18-minutes the hosts hit the front.

A dangerous cross was swung in from the right and Almond popped up in the box to guide the ball home and break the deadlock.

After a spell of precious little in terms of chances, Matt Dudley came close when persistent work saw him close down on goal, but a last-ditch tackle just prevented him the shooting opportunity.

Michael Monaghan then came close when Lloyd Rigby turned behind the forward’s curled effort from a tight angle that look destined for the top corner.

Neil Reynolds’ side came close to levelling just before the half-time whistle, when Alistair Waddecar’s free kick delivery from the left was headed off the line.

HALF TIME: Prescot Cables 1-0 Bamber Bridge

Like the first half Brig started the second well, putting the Cables defence under a spell of real pressure, but they just couldn’t quite find a way through.

Waddecar looked the likeliest to make it happen for the visitors and on the hour mark he forced Ben Barnes into a smart save with a low strike from distance that the goalkeeper tipped round the post.

Moments later though the goal that Brig’s pressure deserved arrived, when substitute Adam Dodd rounded Barnes from 18-yards and curled in a stunner into the top corner from a tight angle.

That goal sparked life into the visitors as they started to dominate proceedings - on the hunt for a second goal.

With ten to play both sides were going in pursuit of a winner and Jordan Wynne didn’t go far off at all when he hit a sweetly struck effort just wide of Rigby’s right-hand post.

It was a game that was just as easy to win it as it was to lose, and with a minute of normal time to play Brig were dealt a crushing blow, when Klein-Davies’ strike from the right took a wicked deflection and looped in over Rigby.

Despite that goal Brig rallied again and threw everything they could at it to try and find an equaliser, but it wasn’t to be, on a night where a point was the least Neil Reynolds’ men deserved.

FULL TIME: Precot Cables 2 - 1

Following results elsewhere, it was confirmed that Brig have now secured a place in the play-offs.

Match reporter: George Hodgson (@GHodgsonSport)