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QUEENSGATE
BRIDLINGTON TOWN 1 SPALDING UNITED 0
Town responded to manager Billy Heath’s blast after Saturday’s
mauling at
Mossley with a far more accomplished and confident display. The recall of
centre-back Lee Harper from injury was instrumental in this, and with Paul
Wilson also returning from injury coupled with an assured debut for striker
Andy Neill, the Town faithful will now be in far better heart.
Town bossed the game in the early stages; Wilson feeding Neill, who in turn
slid the ball in for Chris Hyam, whose volley skimmed the bar. Minutes
later, a foul on the lively Paul Palmer saw Brid gain a free-kick on the
edge of the 18-yard box. Martin Thacker’s excellent delivery was met
on the
full by Harper, whose crashing volley was inches over the bar.
Spalding were fired into an instant response. Kevin Childs latching onto
a
fine through ball from Sam Wadieh to crack a shot past Nicky Baxter’s
post.
Neill had his first chance in the 26th minute. A Steve Swales free-kick on
the left was flicked on by Palmer, and the burly striker blazed a shot
inches over the bar under pressure from Vaughan and Holyoake. The visitors
were reduced to 10 men shortly afterwards. Palmer was moving in towards
towards the box with the ball nowhere insight when he was brought down by
Vaughan, and the red card was a formality.
Wilson was unlucky not to give Town the lead after the resulting free-kick
as he chased a loose ball to round full-back Wadieh only to be thwarted by
‘keeper Pledger inside the box. Another good move through midfield from
a
Shaun Baker interception found Palmer, who drove narrowly wide of the post.
Palmer was not to be denied however, and on 45 minutes, with the added-on
board being held up on the touchline, he took a through ball from Baker in
his stride to finish in style from 18 yards to give Town a deserved lead.
Unbelievably, in those added minutes. Spalding raced to the other end and
Jon Bell was fouled inside the box to the disbelief of the Town fans for a
penalty. Lee Sowerby stepped up but drove the spot-kick high over Baxter’s
bar.
HALF TIME
BRID TOWN 1 SPALDING 0
A scrappy opening to the second period saw neither side gain the upper hand
until the 54th minute. Neill, who remarkably was stepping up several
leagues was looking more of a threat as the game progressed, and he linked
well with Chris Hyam for the winger to fire in a cross that was cleared
under pressure from Palmer. Hyam was again in the frame minutes later, as
another fine move involving Wilson and Neill ended with his header skimming
the bar.
Palmer then had a glorious chance in the 65th minute to put the game beyond
the visitors. The hard-working striker latched onto a slide-rule through
ball from Martin Thacker, but his first time shot crashed against the post
with Pledger beaten.
Spalding replied as hesitant defending let in Hlengwa. His pass found
Childs, who was unlucky to see his drive go past the post.
A round of applause for Neill as he was replaced by Wayne Lewis in the 80th
minute brought the veteran full-back into action straight away. He linked
with Carl Giblin, speeding forward from the back, to find Palmer, whose shot
was turned away by Pledger.
Palmer was again in the thick of things as he chased a seemingly lost cause
along the right flank to rob Thorpe of the ball. He found Wilson who drove
his shot wide. Palmer was set free by Thacker in the next attack but again
Pledger produced a fine one-on-one block
Spalding threatened briefly in the closing minutes, but Town kept things
simple at the back and were able to run the clock down.
A massive confidence booster for Billy Heaths charges, who will make the
long trip to Leicestershire to face Shepshed this Saturday (24th). A
similar display of workrate and desire will again give them a good chance
of
climbing the table.
BRID TOWN – BAXTER, SUDDABY, SWALES, BAKER, HARPER, GIBLIN, HYAM, THACKER,
PALMER, NEILL, WILSON, SUBS LEWIS, HEATH, CATTERMOLE
SPALDING UNITED- PLEDGER, WADIEH, THORPE, VAUGHAN, HOLYOAKE, ILEY, STANHOPE,
HLENGWA, CHILDS, SOWERBY, BELL
ATTENDANCE: 117