Bamber Bridge 1 - Hyde United: Nick Spooner's men triumph on the road.
The SFC Stadium saw Bamber Bridge take on Hyde United in their home opener in what was anticipated to end in their favour. The travelling team had not been victorious at the home of the Briggers since 2005 but it seemed to be their night on Tuesday.
Hyde United began their season with a 1-1 draw before making the 40-mile trip up north to the SFC Stadium. With an important win on the road, the Tigers now sit in seventh place after two matchdays.
Four places below sit Bamber Bridge in the Northern Premier League following their loss to Hyde who will be hopeful to get back to winning ways on Saturday.
The game began in Hyde United’s favour who seemed to take control early on. A chance in the opening minutes found Connor Heath in behind Brig’s back line but he couldn’t get it across in time to take the lead.
Efforts for the home side soon followed when Jack Baxter’s shot from distance missed the target.
As the match continued it became end-to-end football between the two sides with United attempting to move forward with possession but Jamie Milligan’s men hot on their tails to make a transition of their own. Bamber Bridge aimed to hit Hyde on the break on numerous occasions throughout the first half.
A moment of madness came for the hosts when exploited down the right flank as Harry Bunn was found in an attacking position to make an intuitive cross to the skipper who couldn’t put it away for the opener.
However not long after came the first goal of the game for the visitors in the 20th minute of play. Harry Bunn was found once again down the right who could knock it into the path of Jordan Scanlon going on to net his first league goal for the club.
Bamber Bridge seemed to take it to Hyde as the minutes went on. A key chance came as a diagonal ball found Finn Wallbank in the right corner who volleyed it onto the head of Billy Bould. Flicking it over the top of the yellow back line, the number 10 found his fellow forward at the back post who couldn’t quite direct it back towards goal.
Momentum switched as the first half continued when a big chance for Brig’s Micheal Potts came. Quick feet in the box saw the 30-year old advance forward into a strong position but his ambitious effort struck the crossbar to deny them of an equaliser.
Although working hard to get one back, Bamber Bridge couldn’t make it one goal each before the break.
The second half began with drama as a newly changed home line-up caused Hyde United danger early doors. Olly Molloy had a goal disallowed as it hit the 48th minute due to a foul on the goalkeeper – one which many couldn’t argue against.
Hyde United made a break of their own not long after when found in a three-on-two situation up top. Scrambled across to Jack Redshaw, the club captain made a disappointing miss from close range as his effort soared over the bar.
It was Ben Kershaw who doubled the lead away from home in the 65th minute with a simple finish to make it two goals to nil.
Tensions began to rise as time went on with the referee having to get his book out on numerous occasions and the home fans expressing their desperation for Brig to get their foot in the door.
Substitute Alex-Ray Harvey got the viewers on their feet as he made an excellent last-ditch tackle to deny the Tigers of a key opportunity at goal.
Both goalkeepers showed their talent the final minutes approached. A powerful effort from Heath was saved by Nicolas Michalski and a wonderful stop came from the Hyde man in-between the sticks as he denied Bailey Thompson of a headed goal at the back post.
Bamber Bridge’s drive paid off in the 80th minute when Will Squires could slot it home from close-range. Potts with the cross into the 18-yard box found Squires at the back stick who could slip it in on the inside of Callum Hiddleston.
The home side worked hard to equalise in the dying embers of the match but couldn’t quite do so before the sound of the final whistle putting the away fans up in arms for the first time since 2005 at Irongate.
Bamber Bridge manager Jamie Milligan shared his thoughts to the press following his first defeat of the season:
“First half we were not good enough, we just weren’t at the races, and they popped us a little bit and probably deserved to go in the lead.
“It’s a tough ask because we played Whitby on Saturday which is a long way to go, and we are back at it on Tuesday night. It’s a tough ask for non-league lads, I know that.
“We made some changes at half time, changed the shape a little bit and it worked for us. I thought we were really good second half and created some good chances.
“After the game, I couldn’t knock their effort. They were relentless, they kept put crosses in the box and tried to play on the front foot and create things.”
Milligan also spoke on missing the clinical edge he desires from his squad.
“The way we play we are always going to create chances, we have just got to show calmness in front of goal because we had some good chances tonight.”
The Brig boss expressed the side have to prepare and aim to succeed this weekend against a tough Worksop Town.
Match reporter: Seb Ellis
