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Saturday 11th February 2006
Fleetwood Town 2 Bridlington Town 3
With the spectre of financial worries still haunting the Queensgate outfit,
this was a simply staggering showing from Billy Heath’s side. The big
man
conjured up a virtuoso performance from his troops that defied all logic.
Town dominated possession from start to finish to silence the huge
580-strong home crowd, despite leaking 2 soft first-half goals, and once
they had grabbed a lifeline through Wayne Wallace, there was only going to
be one winner. The hardy bunch of travelling fans were hard pressed to
remember a more complete Town display since Heath led the team back into the
Unibond League some 3 years ago, such was the standard of football produced
by their team.
The massed ranks of home fans behind Town ‘keeper Nick Baxter’s
goal were
demanding an early breakthrough, and slack defending by Town gave them
exactly that. A long diagonal ball through to Rich Allen after only 2
minutes saw the winger produce an electric burst of pace into the 18-yard
box that took him past 2 challenges, and he fired across Baxter into the far
corner to give his side a dream start. Town were unbowed, and could have
had an almost instant equaliser minutes later, as home ‘keeper Andy Banks
had to save smartly from both Paul Palmer and Wayne Wallace in quick
succession. Town continued to press for the equaliser, with the scurrying
figure of Martin Thacker directing operations from the midfield. His
delivery from a 17th minute free-kick shaved Banks’ post, and he set
up the
impressive Wallace for another chance moments later that went wide.
Town went past the half-hour mark still appearing in control of the game
despite the scoreline, but were dealt a hammer blow on 39 minutes.
Fleetwood winger Adam Girdlestone won a loose ball wide on the right
touchline, and rode 2 weak challenges to head towards the byeline. Still
Town had men covering, and the wideman appeared to be running up a blind
alley, but the expected knock into touch never came, and he rounded another
half-tackle to square the ball into the box. Heath could only watch in
utter disbelief from the bench as unmarked striker Phil Denney had the
simple task of sidefooting past Baxter for the second goal.
With home fans in full voice at the start of the second half expecting the
ritual slaughter, Heath’s men still had other ideas, and again took the
game
to Fleetwood. The Town fans sensed that one goal from their side could yet
change the course of the game. Heath swapped the industry of Steve
Underwood for the flair of Paul Wilson and the Town winger immediately began
to cause the home defence problems with his trickery. Town grabbed that
all-important breakthrough on 57 minutes. Chris Hyam, who was enjoying a
profitable afternoon down the right, was fouled just inside the Fleetwood
half, and this enabled Thacker to swing in another teasing delivery towards
the far post, where the towering figure of Wallace rose above the defence
to
crash a header back across Banks into the far corner.
Heath’s men saw their opportunity as the home side regrouped, and Ben
Eastwood fired them level on 66 minutes with a simply majestic goal. 25
yards out, the Town striker took a pass from Thacker on his chest, but
appeared to be going nowhere with home skipper Steve Macauley in close
attendance. Town’s very own sharpshooter made his side’s day by
leaving the
Fleetwood Mac for dead with a brilliant turn and half-volley over Banks into
the top corner. The youngster certainly doesn’t score any ordinary goals.
Baxter then saved his side, as this see-saw encounter swung back Fleetwood’s
way. Girdlestone latched on to a ball over the top to race clear, and the
Town ‘keeper produced a fine bloack with his legs to divert the ball
away
for a corner. Solid defending from the flag-kick set Town up for another
attack, and Wallace, having another massive display in the midfield, powered
past 3 challenges before being brought down by a sliding tackle from
Town’s nemesis from the previous week, Lee Pryers.
The Fleetwood left-back was not destined to have the last laugh this time
however, as from the free-kick on 69 minutes, Steve Heath timed his jump
to perfection and thumped a header past a helpless Banks into the corner to
spark wild Town celebrations, and a mass exodus of home fans. The home side
were reeling, and Town’s leading scorer Paul Palmer was also now looking
to
add to his tally. He took a fine through ball from Shaun Baker in his
stride on 80 minutes to accelerate towards goal, only for Banks to pull off
a fine one-on-one-block. The Town striker had another golden chance to put
the game to bed minutes later as Wilson again got in behind a flagging
defence to deliver a low cross which created havoc in the 6-yard box.
Banks got a hand to the loose ball, but could only push it into the path of
Palmer, who looked odds-on to score, but somehow blazed his shot over the
bar.
With Town looking destined to take the three points back over the Pennines,
a lightning break from the home side on 86 minutes had the small group of
fans clustered behind Heath’s dugout holding their breath. Ex Hyde United
midfielder Jamie Milligan latched onto long ball out of defence to find
space and fire in a dipping 25-yarder that flew over Baxter, only for the
crossbar to come to Town’s rescue, and the danger had passed. Town held
on
solidly throughout 4 long minutes of added time to run out worthy winners.
Raucous celebrations ensued, centred on the Town dugout, and a jubilant
Thacker led the singing of the traditional Maori victory song as his side
went down the tunnel, a Town standard inspired by Kiwi full-back Andy
Taylor during his spell at the club. A pleasure to hear it again.
Teams:-
Brid Town
Baxter, Hyam, Giblin, Baker, Harper, Heath, Underwood, Thacker, Eastwood,
Palmer, Wallace.
Subs. Wilson, Lewis, Neill
Fleetwood Town
Banks. Robinson, Pryers, Moran, Macauley, Pond, Girdlestone, Milligan,
Denney, Stevens, Allen.
Stephen, Lewis, Smith.