Nantwich Town 0 - 1 Bamber Bridge

Bamber Bridge continued their winning run in the Northern Premier league on Saturday with a 1-0 victory at The Optimum Pay Stadium, home of Nantwich Town. The win was the 4th on the spin for the Briggers and sees the Lancashire side in 4th place in the early season League table.

A venue that has never been kind to Bamber Bridge and a notoriously difficult place to pick up points, making this victory all the sweeter. A bright start from Brig saw a high ball into the box towards Ewan Bange, as the Brig striker rose to head the ball goalwards the home keeper came to punch clear but looked to have caught the Big man in the face rather than the ball. Ewan received treatment for a blooded wound before being able to continue. The opening exchanges were end to end without either keeper being really troubled. A Danny Forbes through ball following a fine run sent Bange into the box but the keeper arrived first to smother the ball.

Great wing play down the left saw Isaac Sinclair and Mark Yeates combine before Yeates whipped in a low cross, but Ewan Bange’s 1st touch gave the keeper the chance to dive on the ball. Moments later a Brig attack down the right ended as a Callum Spooner cross cum shot fizzed across the goal mouth, the keeper diving forward to punch it to safety. Bamber Bridge were now growing into the game and enjoying the bulk of possession. Ryan White was next to test the home keeper with a shot from 15 yards that was comfortably held by the Dabbers stopper.

Nantwich were dangerous on the break and Danny Forbes was called into action making a great diving save to turn the ball around the post for a corner from a fierce shot. As the game ebbed and flowed, Isaac Sinclair cut in from the left and struck a shot from the corner of the penalty area, again the home keeper was on hand to make the save. With the game heading into 1st half stoppage time, Brig took the lead. Mark Yeates provided the low ball in to the box from the right and Ewan Bange controlled the ball before firing home from 8 yards for his 4th goal of the season.

There was still time in the half for a Danny Forbes piledriver from 20 yards that was heading for the bottom corner of the net before a defenders leg deflected the ball away for a corner. Half time and Brig led 1-0

The home side were out on the pitch a good 2 or 3 minutes before Brig, so a response was expected. Nantwich roared out of the traps, Danny Roccia called into action almost immediately, a shot deflected for a corner and Danny rising well to punch clear form the corner kick. Brig then had two chances to increase their lead. A deflected Mark Yeates shot from 12 yards following terrific work by Rob Apter led to Brig corner. The corner was cleared but returned superbly by Isaac Sinclair, Ewan Bange got a good connection with his head from around the penalty spot but the ball cleared the cross bar by inches. The home side then began to dominate possession and put the Brig backline under immense pressure. Danny Roccia again came to the rescue as he raced off his line diving at the feet of the Dabbers forward to make another top save.

With the home side now dominating possession Brig Manager Jamie Milligan made a change on the hour replacing Mark Yeates with Sheldon Green. The bombardment continued however and it was Danny Roccia again just minutes later pulling off the save of match diving full length to save what looked certain to be the equaliser. Matt Thompson became the 2nd Brig change as he replaced Matthew Flynn. Brig chances were now few and far between as the whole team dug in to keep the hosts out. A Ewan Bange half chance was cleared just as he shaped to shoot. Nantwich then again came close as the game entered the final 15 minutes, shot flashing just wide of the post.

On 77 minutes Matt Dudley came on to replace Rob Apter as the home sides dominance began to falter. Brig were looking confident of keeping the home side out and started to imposer themselves as an attacking threat again. A Brig corner was half cleared and fell to Matt Dudley who struck a shot inches wide from 12 yards. The Brig striker admitting later he was disappointed not to have found the target with that effort.

Nantwich hadn’t completely given up though and Danny Roccia once again was tested and came out on top with a double save to keep the Brig lead intact. Danny then calmed the last minute nerves rising high to claim a corner at the back post. The referee signalled 4 minutes of added time, but it was Bamber Bridge who were finishing the stronger. Isaac Sinclair struck a shot which sailed out of the ground (that’ll do nicely) after good work from Matt Dudley, then Ewan Bange tried an audacious back heeled effort from a Sheldon Green pass, the home keeper not fooled though and made a comfortable save. The last action of the match, fittingly brought another fine save from Man of the match Danny Roccia. The referee blowing the full time whistle as the Brig keeper cleared up field.

Following 3 great victories with flowing football, this for me was the result of the season so far. The lads had to grind out the victory in the 2nd half and they did just that. A fabulous team performance. The Brig players and staff, as on Tuesday evening at Morpeth came over to the Briggers behind the goal to high five the applauding fans.

Nantwich Town – 0 Bamber Bridge – 1

Bamber Bridge: Roccia, Spooner, White, Flynn, Wilson (Capt.), Forbes, Apter, Boyle, Bange, Yeates, Sinclair

Subs: Churchman, Dudley, Green, Thompson, Higham

Attendance: 351