Bamber Bridge squeezed passed FC St Helens, of The North West Counties Division 1 North, and in to the Semi Finals of The Lancashire Challenge Trophy with a penalty shoot out victory following a last minute Danny Forbes equaliser and a Paul Dawson masterclass of penalty shoot out goalkeeping on a Windy Tuesday night at The Sir Tom Finney Stadium.

Trailing 1-0 to a first half St Helens headed goal, Brig then saw keeper Luke Hutchinson receive a straight red card midway through the second half. Centre Forward Paul Dawson donned the gloves and stepped between the sticks, ending the game as the Brig hero with a pile of Brig players diving on top of him.

The game started as expected with Bamber Bridge having plenty of possession and pushing the visitors back without really creating any openings in the early stages of the game. Joe Robbins came close on 15 minutes racing into the box from a fine through ball and sliding a low shot towards the far post, the keeper getting something on it to deflect it wide for a corner. Moments later and it was Robbins who clipped a ball into the box with Danny Forbes just an inch or so from making contact but the ball drifted out for a goal kick.

Next up as Brig began to dominate was Donovan Lescott, sent away down the left, he cut into the area and looked to slide the ball underneath the advancing keeper, who again got enough on it to take the pace off the ball allowing it to be cleared off the line.

St Helens up to this point had barely threatened at the the other end but 25 minutes in, a corner from the right was head home to give the Merseyside club an unlikely lead. Brig responded and Donovan Lescott again had an opportunity from the left of the area but his low shot lacked power and the visitors keeper was able to gather the ball comfortably. A Brig corner from the right was headed clear but fell to Joe Robbins just outside the area, he controlled the ball before moving it the right and firing in a low shot forcing a fine diving save from the busy Saints keeper.

Luke Mariette Had the last Bamber Bridge chance of the first half, played in to the area on the right, the Blackpool FC loanee, slightly miscontrolled with his first touch allowing the keeper to race from his goal and make the save. So, Brig trailing 1-0 at the break having had pretty much all the possession and the wind at their backs.

The second half began with the wind now in the faces of the Briggers, this half complimented with squalls of driving rain. The home side struggled to get back into their stride at the start of the half and the visitors enjoyed their best spell of possession in the match so far. As the half wore on Bamber Bridge began to find their second half feet, Chris Churchman almost equalised with a cross cum shot from the right that saw the Saints keeper back-pedalling and having to tip the ball over the bar for a corner.

The game then looked to be swinging more towards an unlikely away victory when a Saints breakaway saw Brig Keeper Luke Hutchinson race from goal only for the striker to seemingly push the ball around him, Luke looked to have pulled the striker down just outside the area as he prepared to shoot towards the empty goal. The inevitable straight red card saw Brig down to 10 men and Centre forward Paul Dawson was the man to stick on the goalie gloves, and shirt and take his place between the posts. His first job as keeper was to defend the free kick from just outside the box. The free kick came to nothing and was the signal for Mille to make his first changes of the night.

A double Change saw Isaac Sinclair and Fin Sinclair-Smith on to replace The hard working Joe Robbins and debutant full back Jason Akiotu who had had a fine game in his first Brig appearance. The tide began to swing back in favour of the home side and Rhys Turner was just beaten to a through ball by the visiting keeper who by this stage was looking like it would take something special to beat him.

Fin began to have the impact the Manager hoped for an a fierce shot from wide on the right was pushed out of play by the keeper for another corner. That was taken short and eventually delivered beyond the back post were a Donovan Lescott attempted volley cleared the bar, and club house roof !!

A third change came as Donovan was replaced by Arron Skinner as Mille went looking for that illusive equaliser. Fin was tripped on the left side of the penalty area as he skipped towards goal. After dusting himself down, he stepped up and struck a screamer of a free kick over the wall only to see the ball crash back off the inside of the post, Aaron Skinner tried to divert the ball home but the ball was just out of reach as he dived sideways his header running along the goal line before it was cleared. It looked at this stage that the plucky visitors were going to take the Scalp of their hosts from 3 Divisions above.

With Brig now in full flow, another left Wing corner was met by Danny Forbes, as he got there just before the keeper who had done enough to see Danny’s header clear the bar. But just one minute Later Danny was to have the last laugh, another cross was whipped in low from the left and Danny dived fully horizontal meeting the ball with a superb glancing header that flashed past the keeper and into the back of the net. A real last gasp reprieve for The Briggers as literally from the kick off the referee blew the final whistle to send us into a penalty shoot out.

The Penalties were to be taken at the clubhouse end and it was Saints to take the first spot kick. Paul Dawson took to his goaline but not before using all his experience to try and put off the penalty taker. The spot kick was driven low to his right, Daws, got a hand to it but it crept in. 0-1…...Rhys Turner stepped up for Brig and made no mistake ...1-1….. Paul Dawson again made sure the next penalty taker for the visitors knew he was there and this time the ball was smashed high and wide.

Still 1-1.. Up stepped Fin for Brig and sent the keeper the wrong way… 2-1….. Daws by now had the script well prepared and once again the Saints Penalty sailed well over the bar.. 2-1…. Rowan Roache was next for Brig and again, no mistake has he planted the ball safely into the back of the net. 3-1

And so on to what was now essentially sudden death for The Visitors. Daws bounced on his goal-line before diving down to his right (or was it left ?? I can’t remember in all the excitement !!) Anyway, he made a fabulous save and Brig were through. Seconds later and The stand in keeper was swamped by his team mates.
A real “Get out of jail free” victory for Brig who showed a real never say die attitude to grind out the win.

A word for our visitors though, What a cruel way to go out of any cup competition They gave it their all and came so close to causing a shock. The Saints Keeper Joe Mason certainly didn’t deserve to be on the losing side and had a terrific match. But it is Bamber Bridge who progress and we wait to see who our opponents will be in the Semi Final.

Full Time: Bamber Bridge – 1 FC St Helens – 1 (Brig win 3-1 on penalties)

Bamber Bridge: Hutchinson, Robbins, Akiotu, Churchman, Sinclair (S), Forbes, Roache, Mariette, Dawson ©, Lescott

Substitutes: Wilson, Thomson, Sinclair (I), Sinclair-Smith, Skinner

Att; 209