Bamber Bridge fell to their 3rd successive defeat with a 1-3 home reverse against Radcliffe Boro at The Sir Tom Finney Stadium, The score line was was a tough one to take for Brig following a very harsh sending off for Paul Dawson midway through the second half with the score level at 1-1. Two injury time goals then took the points back to Greater Manchester.

Heavy rain prior to, and during the first half made for difficult playing conditions and both sides took a while to settle with possession given away cheaply. The first 20 minutes saw no goalmouth action at either end until Conor Stanley burst free down the centre of the pitch and was fouled just outside the penalty area. Jamie Thomas took the free kick and fired it around the wall but just wide of the keepers right hand post.

Radcliffe responded and a fine move ended with a shot from the left of the area clearing the bar. Chances were at a premium, as both defences were on top, A Brig free kick, wide on the right was whipped over by Jamie Thomas and met by a Nathan Pond header, but the ball looped up into the air and was gathered comfortably by the keeper. Brig thought they had broken the deadlock on 35 minutes, Fin Sinclair-Smith connected with another right wing cross and volleyed home from 6 yards, the strikers delight was cut short as he saw the Linesman's flag signalling offside, a very close call indeed.

Jamie Thomas then tried his luck with a 25 yard strike that had the keeper diving full stretch to his right, the ball flashing just inches past the post. It was the visitors who took the lead however on 38 minutes, a deep misplaced cross from the right somehow managed to deceive Felix Goddard in the Brig goal and dropped into the back of then net. Brig responded almost immediately as Jamie Thomas tried his luck again from 25 yards, this time finding the bottom corner with a superb daisy cutter of a strike.

The second half began in end to end fashion, Rhys Turner burst free down the right and instead of shooting as he raced into the area, he passed the ball square across the area, for the advancing Paul Dawson, a defender got there first and cleared for a corner. The visitors then began to enjoy a good spell of possession as they pinned Brig back. Bamber Bridge Manager Jamie Milligan made his first change of the game at this stage replacing Jamie Thomas with Danny Forbes, The flow of the game continued with Radcliffe having the bulk of possession but not really creating any clear openings.

Brig were playing on the break and a swift move downfield saw Rhys Turner pick out Conor Stanley on the right of the area, The Bolton Loanee, went for the near post, his shot hitting the side netting and the chance was gone. Moments later and the first contentious moment of the game, Fin won possession and surged in to the penalty area, he looked to have been clearly tripped from behind as he shaped to shoot, the referee however, saw it differently and waved play on much to the anguish of the Brig striker. Just moments later and Fin had another opportunity this time on the left side of the area following a ball over the top of the Radcliffe defence, Fin looked odds on to score but the home keeper made a fine save with his legs, the follow up shot going straight in to the arms of the grateful keeper.

The game turned in the 73rd minute when Paul Dawson was shown a straight card for what looked an innocuous challenge on the edge of the Radcliffe area. Brig immediately made two more changes with Blackpool loanee Donovan Lescott coming on for his Brig debut replacing Fin Sinclair-Smith and Harry Scarborough coming on for Rhys Turner.

The one man advantage led to the visitors again dominating possession as Brig looked content to take the point currently in their possession. Brig had kept the visitors at arms length as The referee signalled 5 additional minutes and Brig desperately tried to hang on. Unfortunately in the 91st minute the pressure told and Radcliffe took the lead again, A cross from the right was met with a towering header in the centre of the goal giving Felix no chance, and just one minute later the visitors made sure of the points with a third. A smart pass in to the box found the a Boro striker who calmly slotted the ball home.

So, full time and a third consecutive defeat for Bamber Bridge, but taken in the context of today's match, it was a harsh scoreline. Not taking anything away from Radcliffe who are a good side and in fairness were having the bulk of the 2nd half play before the unfortunate sending off. The goals against column must be causing something of a concern to the Brig management team with 13 goals going into the Brig net in the last 3 games. And It doesn’t get any easier for Brig either with the next 3 matches being away from home,as well as a Lancashire Cup tie away at Lancaster City. At the end of this current run of matches Brig will have played 7 out of 8 games away from home. A tough ask by any stretch of the imagination.

Next up is the short trip to Atherton Colliers next Saturday.

Full Time: Bamber Bridge – 1 Radcliffe – 3

Bamber Bridge: Goddard, Thomson, Skinner, Green, Pond, Churchman, Stanley, Thomas, Turner, Dawson, Sinclair-Smith

Substitutes: Forbes, Scarborough, Fisher, Lescott, Alabi

Att: 454