GLS Football

Friday 26^th December 2003

Unibond Division One

Bridlington Town 0(0)()

Lincoln United 1(0)(McDaid 88)

Referee: W.Grunill – Hull

Att: 314

How Bridlington Town lost this game was down to not putting away one of the numerous chances created and getting caught with a late sucker punch by the visitors. Town had dominated large portions of the game but McDaid grabbed the points for the visitors with just two minutes of normal time left. Town had also seen two penalty appeals turned down and several efforts cleared off the line and hit the bar as the Lincoln goal led a charmed life at times. Ironically the last time Bridlington had failed to score at home in a league game was well over two years ago in the NCEL against Lincoln Moorlands

Lincoln showed early but Ian Williams was flagged offside on a very close call. Bridlington worked the right flank with a series of throw ins but couldn’t penetrate the visiting defence. Thacker showed excellent skill to turn his marker in the middle of the pitch to go on a run but Lincoln managed to clear after 7 mins. On 11 mins a neat interplaying move of one touch football between Burdick, Harrison and Thacker saw Lincoln keeper Conroy just manage to tip the ball round for a corner. Lincoln were awarded a free kick 28 yards out on 14 mins. Hawley fired the kick over. Harrison intercepted in midfield and played Burdick in down the right but Conroy got down well to block the Bridlington strikers shot and was fortunate the spin brought the ball back to him. Burdick had another chance for the home side a minute later but fired over. More neat one touch play from Bridlington gave Burdick the chance to cross but no one could get on the end of it. On 21 mins Thompson tried a speculative lob from 35 yards that just floated over the bar. More Bridlington pressure came but on this occasion Palmer was offside. Lincoln intercepted in midfield and Hall went on a run before laying the ball wide but the move then broke down and Bridlington took possession. After working up field Thacker found space for a shot that saw the ball deflected for a corner. Lincoln attacked the left flank and Dave Gilbert put in a dangerous ball but Gavin Kelly collected cleanly. Lincoln pressured more and McDaid drew a foul from Farley 25 yards from the home sides goal. Gilbert swung tha ball wide to the back post, McDaid headed back into the danger area and Williams headed over inside the six yard box on 38 mins. Bridlington returned play with an attacking move that gained a corner but were then offside. Burdick crossed from the right into Harrison. He laid the ball back to Thacker but his shot from distance went wide. As the half entered the last five minutes Bridlington were on the attack but Conroy gathered. Bridlington regathered from the clearance, Harrison fed wide to Palmer and he crossed for Farley but Farley’s header had no power. After a brief Lincoln attack, Palmer gathered a long ball forward but Lincoln defended well.

Town attacked from the start of the second half, Baker and Palmer linking for Thompson to cross before Farley’s header came back off the bar and Harrison’s follow up deflected just wide. On 55 mins Lincoln swung in a deep free kick to the home box. Kelly looked to be impeded but the ball came out for a shot but Town’s defence cleared off the line by Thompson and Robinson. Bridlington attacked through Palmer down the left but Lincoln cleared with Town players appealing for hand ball. On the hour Harrison tried a shot from distance but hit wide. On 61 minutes a ball launched forward by Conroy saw a foul awarded against Baker on the edge of the home box. Hawley curled the ball past the wall but a full stretch save from Kelly kept the scores level. Bridlington attacked and Farley jinked his way round to cross from the left but Ben Brown made a good defensive header clear. Lincoln broke and Williams charged down the left to cross and Thompson cleared for a corner. Bridlington attacked down the left with Palmer. He cut into the box and Conroy came out to fell him but the referee played on with the crowd showing vociferous displeasure with the decision. More attacking from Town and a corner was won. A scramble ensued and Lincoln again cleared their lines. Thacker played Ingram in down the left, his cross was just missed by Palmer, the ball back in was once again cleared as the Lincoln goal led a charmed life. Inside the last ten minutes it looked as if this was going to end in a stalemate. Lincoln brought on two substitutes as they looked to try to nick it but Town brought on Drayton up front. Lincoln attacked down the left and Simmons got in a cross for McDaid to slot home for the visitors on 88 mins. Bridlington threw everyone up in an effort to grab an equaliser that their possession had deserved but each time Lincoln managed to get a foot to clear. A corner for Bridlington deep in stoppage time seemed the last hope but Lincoln’s defence headed clear for a throw as time ran out.

Man of the Match - Gavin Kelly

Sponsors – Ideal Building Systems

Bridlington Town: 1.Gavin Kelly, 2.Andy Thompson, 3.Steve Robinson, 4.Shaun Baker, 5.Craig Suddaby, 6.Steve Heath, 7.Craig Burdick, 8.Martin Thacker, 9.Paul Palmer, 10.Phil Harrison (Drayton 85), 11.Paul Farley(Ingram 66), 12.Danny Drayton, 14.Dave Ingram, 15.Andy Taylor

Lincoln United: 1.Nick Conroy, 2.Mark Hone, 3.Ben Brown, 4.Brendan McDaid, 5.Ian Wilkins, 6.Dave Gilbert, 7.Jon Hawley, 8.Gary Bull (Buckthorpe 84), 9.Danny George, 10.Ian WilliamsSimmons 84), 11.Chris Hall. 12.Gary Buckthorpe, 14.Tony Simmons, 15.Gary Walters.