Report by Alan Bateson.

Bamber Bridge returned from the long mid week journey to Silverlands, home of Buxton FC with a point in the bag, the first on the road this season following a performance they can rightly claim, deserved all three. A late Chris Marlow goal rescued the point and sent the Brig fans home happy.

Showing just one change from last weekends cup defeat, Matt Dudley replacing Chris Marlow, Brig set off with a point to prove. An early move down the left wing ended with an Adam Sumner cross that just cleared the bar. Buxton responded and following a free kick that was initially cleared, they struck the cross bar. The game was swinging from end to end with the ball zipping about on the Silverlands 3g plastic pitch. Danny Forbes, found himself with the ball at his feet on the 6 yard line with his back to goal, as he turned to shoot, he lost his balance and the ball was cleared as far As Ali Waddecar, Ali swung over a superb cross from the right, and Matt Dudley was so unlucky to see his diving header hit the outside of the post.

Forbes again came close on 25 minutes as he cut inside from the right and curled a shot just a foot wide of the far post. With Brig having looked the more likely, the inevitable happened and Buxton took the lead on the half hour. Liam Hardy curling home a left foot shot from the edge of the box after finding time and space.

Now this is where the massive improvement from the weekends match occurred, Far from feeling hard done by, Brig rolled up their sleeves and came storming back, ending the half on top, three quick consecutive corners where cleared before Joe Booth was inches away from connecting with a low cross across the face of the goal, the ball rolling just wide of the post.

The second half started with Brig on the front foot, Kieran Charnock saw a flashing header zip just wide of the post from a free kick, Ryan White then tried his luck from 20 yards but his shot sailed over the bar. With Brig piling on the pressure, Matt Dudley was next to see his glancing header drop just wide. Ali Waddecar tormented the left back, turning him inside out before pulling the ball back to Joe Booth, but his shot was just too high and again cleared the bar.

It was nearly all one way traffic as Brig pressed and pressed for the deserved equaliser, the home side however still looked sharp on the break. Another Bamber Bridge corner and this time it was Joe Booth with the header that fell the wrong side of the post. Scott Harries came on in the 75th minute to replace Joe Booth as Brig’s dominance continued. However, for all the possession and all the chances, the home keeper was yet to be called upon to make any meaningful save. Chris Marlow came on for the last 10 minutes to replace Ryan White, and it was The King of Brig “Goose” who rose majestically in the 89th minute to nod home a Matt Dudley corner from the right. The Brig fans behind the goal celebrated wildly, but the Brig players sensed victory and threw the kitchen sink at their hosts in the remaining minutes.

Ali Waddecar smashed in a superb effort from the right wing that whistled past the post before a right wing cross was deflected over his own bar with a desperate lunge from a Buxton defender. Before Brig had chance to take the corner the referee brought proceedings to an end. The players looked disappointed not to have taken all three points. They can however, be rightly pleased with a performance of grit and determination. The Brig supporters behind the goal, rightly applauded their team off the pitch. A great point and a top performance to go with it.

Full Time: Buxton – 1 Bamber Bridge – 1

Att: 235

Bamber Bridge: Rigby, Churchman, Sumner, Lawlor (Capt.), Charnock, Booth, Waddecar, Wisdom, Dudley, Forbes, White

Subs: Doughty, Harries, Marlow, Ross, Barton