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Unibond League Division One
Chorley 2 Bridlington Town 2
Match Report by Justin Choat
Town wrapped up a season that only weeks ago threatened to be their last
at
this level with another deserved point. Pete Smurthwaite’s emerging young
seasiders’ outfit defied a shocking playing surface more suited to the
exploits of Aldrin & Armstrong to recover a two-goal deficit and cement
a
massively creditable top half finish in Unibond Division One. After Ali
Benson had thrown Town a lifeline shortly before half time, a simply
stunning strike from Ben Eastwood earned them a share of the spoils at a
ground which provided the first away venue back in the Unibond League some
three seasons ago, and but for the events of recent weeks, could have seen
the last.
Perhaps expecting a casual run-of-the-mill end of season fixture, Town were
caught on the hop by a home side that had no such ideas, rocketing out of
the blocks to take the lead in the 13th minute. After a period of pressure,
a diagonal ball across the 18-yard box reached winger Damian Walsh, who cut
infield and unleashed a cracker of a shot into the top corner that gave Town
‘keeper Gavin Kelly no chance. Town had a let off minute later as home
striker Peter Wright cracked a half-volley against the bar, and Town
centre-back Carl Giblin reacted sharply to hack the ball clear under
pressure.
The home side were clearly adapting better to a truly shocking pitch, and
on
21 minutes, went further ahead. A clearance out of defence found right-back
Ian Callaghan, who wasted no time in leathering a 40-yard crossfield ball
in
the direction of his counterpart on the left, Mike Bromham. The advancing
full-back appeared suspiciously offside as he raced onto the ball, but the
flag stayed down, and he was left to pick his spot past a helpless Kelly.
With half time approaching, the home side gifted Town a route back into the
game with a glaring defensive error that left manager Shaun Teale
speechless. The ex-Aston Villa centre-half was on the the sidelines for
this game, but has been a regular feature at Victory Park this season, even
at the age of 42, and must have been wishing he had picked himself for this
game, as he watched Town striker Ali Benson pick off a careless square ball
across the back four to stride clear and fire low past ‘keeper Phil
Priestley. The half finished controversially as a Town corner in the dying
minutes saw striker Ben Eastwood apparently flattened by an elbow from
Priestley, but despite the seasiders’ frontman remaining prone in the
area
for over a minute, the referee chose to let play go on and simply blew for
half-time amid vehement protests from the Town bench.
Both sides struggled to make any headway in the second period with a
swirling wind and the lunar surface providing a paucity of chances. A fine
Town move on the hour saw Shaun Baker and Danny Buttle link well to earn a
corner. Buttle swung the ball in, and Eastwood again looked have been
flattened inside the 18-yard area, but the referee was happy to let play
continue. Buttle was performing miracles on the left flank to defy a
viciously bobbling ball and send over several quality crosses into the
Chorley box, but Town were almost undone in the 78th minute as a lightning
break saw the home side cut through the centre to release Peter Wright who
had a clear shot on goal 20 yards out. Amazingly, he fired his effort
straight at the prone figure of strike partner Chris Thompson, who had
tumbled to the ground in a challenge moments earlier in the move, and Town
breathed again.
On 82 minutes, it was time for Town’s very own Big Ben to strike, as
Eastwood pulled his side level in simply stunning fashion. The young
hitman, who seems not to have scored a routine goal for Town during his time
at Queensgate, added to his entries for goal of the season as he took a pass
into feet from Baker some 25 yards out, turned his marker in a flash and
crashed a fabulous curling shot into the top corner.
With the stuffing clearly now removed from the home side, and a Town side
now more than happy to return back over the Pennines to close the season
with the point, the remainder of the game was played at a canter. The
seasiders left the pitch to a deserved ovation from the travelling support,
who will now look forward to next season with renewed optimism. Smurthwaite
has transformed a previously one-dimensional Town side into a vibrant and
confident outfit that with a couple of additions to strengthen the squad
will be a major force at this level.