Bamber Bridge vs Matlock Town FC

Bamber Bridge

2

FT

Sir Tom Finney Stadium, Irongate

Northern Premier League

Matlock Town FC

1

Match Report

BAMBER BRIDGE 2 1 MATLOCK TOWN

Despite taking the lead through a fabulous John Johnston strike after a quarter of an hour., Matlock again suffered pain on their travels as Mckenzie O'Neil hit a brace to send the Gladiators home empty handed.

Matlock made a bright start and should have been awarded a 4th minute penalty when Jonny Margetts was clearly brought down in the box, but referee Daniel Hitchell amazed everyone by initially delaying in blowing his whistle and when he did, the free kick went to Brig with Margetts being booked for simulation!

At the other end a neat shimmy from Danny Edwards saw his final shot deflected for a corner which the visitors defended well.

JOHNSTON was a busy bee down the right for Matlock and he stung the hosts with an outstanding goal. Latching on to a Margetts lay off, he curled a beautiful shot over goalkeeper James Pradic from twenty yards, the ball finding the onion bag off the inside of the post.

But eight minutes later it all started to go wrong for Matlock when Adam Yates wS forced off with a tweaked hamstring. The Gladiators looked far from comfortable in defence with the other half of the usual central defensive partnership, Ioan Evans out through suspension. Yates' replacement Jamie Sharman did not make it to the final whistle either, being handed a straight red card eight minutes from time for a last man foul on Edwards.

Karl Demidh tried his luck from twenty five yards, an on target shot being caught by Pradic but Brig were now I. The ascendancy. Equalising in the 31st minute when ONEILL finished off an incisive move down the left, firing beyond Saul Deeney.

But Matlock could and probably should have regained the lead just ninety seconds later, Margetts firing narrowly wide from the inside left channel, Demidh screaming for a pass that would have given him a tap in.

Deeney blocked well from Harry Scarborough as the tide had turned, Brig now confirming Matlock boss Martin Carruthers' view that they are in a false position in the lower half of the table.

Matlock debutant Kornell McDonald had a sound debut at right back, often finding time and space to break forward, and he also showed his quality defensively with a fine block from Scarborough's shot four minutes after the resumption.

Pradic was nearly instrumental in Matlock scoring when he failed to reach a cross from the left, Margetts seeing his goal bound shot blocked before Pradic atone by grabbing Johnston's follow up.

Deene saved well again keeping out a shot from Edwards before Connor Dimaio was back in action after nine long months of recovery from his acl injury, replacing Anthony Dwyer. Demidh narrowly missed a Joe West Cross, some great defending from the Brig back line seeing the danger cleared.

Brig netted the decider in the 57th minute, ONEILL again scoring with a low shot after a break down the right. It could have been worse for Matlock shortly afterwards with Scarborough hitting the post and Deeney doing well again to keep out an effort from Ewan Bange.

Margetts was a touch away from converting a West cross, Pradic managing a crucial touch. Carruthers was booked as his frustration got the better of him, clearly unhappy that no action was taken when Williams was seemingly assaulted by a Brig player. Demidh was then booked to add to one for Williams earlier, Demidh being sensibly withdrawn with emotions running high.

After Sharman's departure, Matlock battled away in search of a point with Williams and Margetts both sliding in to try and push home a searching cross from substitute Alex Duhameau, with Margetts being denied again as the Brig defence shut down a shooting chance.

Duhameau was harshly booked for a harmless challenge on Chris Churchman and a day which had started brightly finished with another disappointing away defeat.

BAMBER BRIDGE: 1 James Pradic 2 Chris Churchman 3 Adam Dodd 4 Jack Baxter 5 McAulay Wilson 6 Lamine Toure 7 Danny Edwards 8 Billy Bould 9 Ewan Bange 10 Harry Scarborough 11 Mckenzie ONeill (14 Danny Forbes 90) Other subs: 12 Mark Cullen 15 Joseph Stravin 16 Lewis Thompson 17 Sonny Sharples

MATLOCK TOWN: 1 Saul Deeney 2 Kornell McDonald 3 Joe West 4 Michael Williams 5 Adam Yates (16 Jamie Sharman 23) 6 George Wilkinson 7 John Johnston 8 Finlay Armond 9 Karl Demidh (12 Alex Duhameau 77) 10 Jonny Margetts 11 Anthony Dwyer (14 Connor Dimaio 55) Other subs: 15 Olly Clark 18 Nathan Whitehead

Referee: Daniel Hitchell (Wirral) Attendance: 301. Best Gladiator: John Johnston