The hosts went in at the break 0-1 down after Tom Corner slotted home the opener, but a strong second half from Brig proved to be too much for the visitors.

Bamber Bridge signed Gerard Garner on a youth loan from Fleetwood Town prior to the game, and the 19-year-old made the starting line-up.

Neil Reynolds’ side dominated the ball in the opening ten-minutes, without really creating a clear chance. Regan Linney looked dangerous out wide, the number-eleven almost slid in Chris Marlow down the left-hand side, but the pass had too much on it for the left-back.

The first opening fell to Alistair Waddecar on 11-minutes, after clever work from Linney to pick out the winger. Waddecar shifted the ball one way and then the other, before unleashing a right-footed strike that deflected out for a Brig corner.

Both sides managed to knock the ball around well, despite a two-minute spell of severe rainfall on an already dewy surface.

Linney had a strike on goal after the ball broke kindly for the Brig attack, but The Brewers’ captain Andy Milne blocked the shot well.

The hosts enjoyed most of the possession in the opening half-hour, but the visitors’ defence showed no real signs of being breached.

Despite seeing precious little of the ball, it was Tadcaster Albion who found the net first. Josh Greening found space down the right, his cross found Tom Corner, whose header was spilt by Rigby and poked home on the rebound by the Tadcaster striker.

Half Time: Bamber Bridge 0-1 Tadcaster Albion

After a first-half in which Brig dominated possession, finding the cutting edge in the final third was the challenge going into the second-half.
Michael Potts showed the first sign of intent, bursting into the Tadcaster box, only for Ingham to rush out and gather his chipped cross across goal.

On the 51st minute Bamber Bridge finally made their dominance count and drew level. Chris Marlow found a pocket of space on the left, and whipped in a superb cross into the box for Carsley who bulleted home the equaliser with the header.

As the saying goes, one brings two, and minutes after levelling, Carsley had the ball in the back of the net again. Waddecar intercepted the loose ball, slid in Carsley down the left who cut inside and drilled home the shot to put Brig 2-1 in front.

Aiden Savory showed the first sign of a Tadcaster fightback, forcing a smart save from Rigby with a left-footed shot from the left-hand side of the box.

Brig’s first substitution of the game saw debutant Gerard Garner make way for Matt Dudley on 66 minutes.

Tom Corner then found space down the right, but could only blaze his strike high over the bar – no trouble for Rigby in the Bamber Bridge net.

On the 75th minute Brig put the game to bed with a beauty of a strike from Regan Linney. Michael Potts held the ball up well on the left and picked out Linney on the edge of the box. The number-eleven twisted and turned to work an opening amongst a crowd of bodies, before curling a delicious strike into the top right corner from 18-yards.

With a two-goal cushion, Neil Reynolds’ side looked comfortable.

Sam Staunton-Turner came on in place of Danny Forbes, whilst Tadcaster goal scorer Tom Corner made way for Casey Stewart.

Tadcaster almost found a way back in to the game when Josh Greening rushed through on goal, but Rigby darted off his line to deny him.

Regan Linney looked to add his second and Brig’s fourth with a stoppage time effort from distance, but it was well blocked.

The full-time whistle sounded, to the delight of the Brig faithful, as Neil Reynolds’ side clinched a vital three-points.

Manager Neil Reynolds was delighted with his side’s 3-1 win:
“When we score and were on top, you know that the next goal’s coming shortly afterwards. The style of our play, the spring in people’s feet, it just gets everyone going,”

Bamber Bridge: Rigby; Vasey; Marlow; Baines; Mahoney; Potts (c); Waddecar; Forbes (Staunton-Turner '85); Carsley; Garner (Dudley '66); Linney
Subs (not used): Milligan; Boyd; Wilson

Man of the Match (voted by match sponsors D-Zyne workwear): Brad Carsley

Attendance: 308

Match reporter: George Hodgson (@ghodgsonsport)