Bamber Bridge’s penultimate pre-season friendly ended in a 3-0 defeat at the hands of an impressive AFC Fylde at the Sir Tom Finney Stadium on Tuesday evening. Brig played some neat and tidy passing football but ultimately it was the visitors from Kirkham claimed a comfortable victory.

Bamber Bridge had 3 players making their home debuts. Ewan Bange and Rob Apter on loan from Blackpool and Brayden Shaw, previously of Accrington Stanley all started the game on a glorious summers evening. It was AFC Fylde who started quickly and almost opened the scoring on 3 minutes but a shot from the edge of the area drifted wide of the post. Brigs early response came from a Rob Apter free kick form 25 yards which cleared the crossbar. The “Coasters” were on top and twice Brig keeper Alex Cameron was forced into smart saves, before Ewan Bange at the other end of the pitch connected with a Chris Churchman cross, but he couldn’t keep the header down and it sailed over the bar.
Brig looked to have settled well midway through the half and started to spray the ball around the pitch. Isaac Sinclair then produced the best effort of the match as he drifted inform the right, beating two defenders before striking a superb effort that cannoned off the crossbar. Rob Apter then saw a volleyed effort just miss the target as Bamber Bridge continued to push the visitors back.

With the half drawing to a close, Chris (Goose) Marlow tried an audacious chip from fully 40 yards but the keeper watched it drop beyond the post and wide. Moments later and Fylde were awarded a penalty, an over hit back pass forced The Brig keeper to try and control the ball on his chest, as the ball dropped the Fylde forward put him under pressure and Cameron was forced to stretch for the ball, clipping the legs of the Fylde forward in the process resulting in a spot kick. This was dispatched in to the keepers’ bottom left hand corner despite a valiant attempt to keep it out. That was the last action of the half as the referee blew the half time whistle.

AFC Fylde doubled their advantage just 5 minutes into the second half. A close range finish from the edge of the 6 yard area following a good passage of play. The second goal gave the visitors the breathing space to take control of the game and they began to take control. Both sides made multiple substitutions which didn’t really help the flow of the game from Brig’s perspective. Stephen Dobbie for Fylde saw a 30 yard effort drift wide before the Cameron in the Brig goal foiled him again minutes later making a fine save at the strikers’ feet as he tried to go around the keeper.

Bamber Bridge captain Macaulay Wilson then connected well with a corner but his powerful header flashed inches over the bar. Mark Yeats then forced the Coasters keeper in to a smart save as his 30 yard effort was saved by the keeper with his legs. With Brig pushing forward it was Fylde who grabbed their 3rd goal and ended the contest. A cross from the left was headed home at the near post to give the visitors a 3-0 lead. Cameron made another fine save in the closing seconds to prevent the coasters grabbing a fourth.

Full time and a good performance from Bamber Bridge despite the result. Clinical finishing being the difference on the night. Brig had looked particularly good in the first half and were very unlucky to concede right on the half time whistle. Plenty of positives for Milly to take into Saturday’s final pre – season friendly when City of Liverpool FC will be the visitors to Irongate.

Bamber Bridge – 0 AFC Fylde – 3

Att: 150 and a Dog from Kuwait (Oreo)

Match photos available HERE