GLS Football

Saturday 20^th March 2004

Unibond Division One

Bridlington Town 1 (1)(Harper 34, )

Bamber Bridge 0 (0)()

Att: 166

Referee: B.C.Sygmuta – Northallerton

Bridlington Town got back to winning ways and grabbed a vital three points with what has in recent seasons been a classic combination for the club. A Martin Thacker corner was headed home by skipper Lee Harper for the only goal of the game.

The home side had the first effort on three minutes when Martin Thacker looked for wind assistance with a 30 yard shot that went just wide. Bridlington continued to pressure but the strong swirling wind made high balls into the box difficult for both sides. A succession of throws down the right for the home side didn’t bear fruit. Town gained a free kick after Thacker was tugged but Bamber cleared to touch once more. On twenty minutes a poor corner from Town saw Bamber clear and break up field through Mark Wane but a foul returned possession for the home side. Another break from Bamber down the right saw Danny Kent cross but the wind took the ball past everyone. A quick break from Bridlington saw Thacke play Paul Palmer through and he won a corner. Heath flicked on for Harper but Bamber Keeper Sharrock was well placed to collect. Dave Ingram played a well weighted through ball that Bamber had to clear for a corner. Martin Thacker hit the ball to the far post where Lee Harper headed home solidly to give Bridlington the lead. The home side kept up the pressure but still the strong wind forced both teams into errors and there was no further scoring in the half.

Bridlington continued to pressure from the start of the second period almost capitalising from an early corner, but Bamber cleared and broke forward and Chris Hill needed all his skill to gather a tricky ball in. Still the wind restricted any chance of fluent football and the players found it difficult to avoid a “rolling ball” situation from free and goal kicks. With twenty minutes remaining there was little in the way of entertainment. A free kick on the right for the home side was overhit and drifted wide. A break from Bamber saw a free kick awarded, the ball came in but Harper was able to head the ball back to Chris Hill. The strength of the wind showed again when Wayne Lewis hit a long pass and the wind blew it back so he could collect the ball himself. With just over a minute of normal time left Bamber managed to scramble clear a corner and then broke on the left through Jimmy King, but his cross was taken clear by the wind. The next Bamber attack saw them gain a corner in stoppage time but a goal kick was the result. Bridlington broke forward with Palmer and Burdick against one defender. Burdick shot but Sharrock managed to tip the ball onto the bar in the last action of the game.

Bridlington Town Man of The Match: Lee Harper

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Bridlington Town: 1.Chris Hill, 2.Andy Taylor, 3.Steve Robinson, 4.Craig Suddaby. 5.Lee Harper, 6.Steve Heath, 7.Dave Ingram, 8.Martin Thacker, 9.Wayne Lewis, 10.Paul Palmer, 11.Craig Burdick, 12.Gareth Sewell, 14.Stuart Baldwin, 15.Phil Harrison.

Bamber Bridge: 1.Cyril Sharrock, 2.Andy Farley, 3.Dave Leavor, 4.Ross Bain, 5.Dave McCann, 6.Stuart Shepherd, 7.John Bailey, 8.Danny Kent, 9.Mark Wane, 10.Andy Whittaker, 11.Jimmy King, 12.Stuart Honor, 14.Adam Lucas, 15.Dave Hankin.