Match Report Bamber Bridge vs Stafford Rangers
Stafford Rangers overcame Bamber Bridge in a scrappy encounter at the Sir Tom Finney stadium.
The first chance of the game would be Brigs, a Michael Potts corner was floated to the back post Simon Grand rose highest, but his towering header fell on the wrong side of the post.
Moments later Sky Sinclair sent a searching cross into the box, but it was simply too high for Harry Scarborough to get a clean connection.
30 minutes in Stafford almost took the lead. Potts looked to shadow the ball for James Pradic, but the ball deflected of Potts before rolling narrowly wide of his own post.
Stafford began to apply the pressure from there third corner in as many minutes Sean Cooke tested Pradic with a low fizzing shot but Brigs keeper was equal to it and kept the score at 0-0.
Having grown into the game Stafford were again denied this time by the heroic defending of Adam Dodd who put his body on the line diving desperately to keep out Tyreece Onyeka’s goal bound effort.
Dodd then came close for Brig in additional time cutting inside on the edge of the box, but he could not find the target with his shot and both teams went into half time with nothing separating them.
The visitors started the second half brightly taking the lead in the 47th minute. Kaiman Anderson broke through on goal and produced a stretching save from Pradic the rebound fell to Onyeka whose scuffed effort fell to the feet of Cooke who placed the ball into the net to give his side the lead.
As the game ticked over the hour mark Stafford could have had a second, Anderson rode Grand’s tackle dribbling into a one on one against Pradic who came out and denied the striker’s shot with his leg.
Stafford continued to dominate proceedings again being denied a second, this time by a Macauley Wilson goal line clearance after a Cooke shot.
They had another golden opportunity 10 minutes later when a counterattack saw them break with a four on two but the low cross from Onyeka bobbled over Andersons outstretched boot and away.
Stafford would eventually double their lead three minutes from time. Onyeka broke down the right-hand side, beating his defender before sending a cross towards the back post for substitute Connor Heath to head home and seal the visitors' win.
A disappointing result for Brig who will look to bounce back against Gainsborough Trinity next Saturday.
By Noah Mills
