Bamber Bridge followed up Tuesday nights impressive victory at home to South Shields with another 3 points, this time on the road, at the South Kesteven Sports Stadium, home of Grantham Town FC.

Re-producing Tuesday nights performance was always going to be a tall order, but Brig pretty much controlled a scrappy game from start to finish. Despite a nervy last couple of minutes, the Lancashire visitors left South Lincolnshire with the points in the bag to cement their position in the top 4 of the Northern Premier League.

Brig were dealt a blow in the pre match warm up as Luke Higham had to withdraw from the starting line up with a back injury, Matt Thompson stepping into the left back role. The game started in end to end fashion, but it took Brig just 6 minutes to open the scoring. A free kick close to the touchline on the left was swung into the box by Matt Dudley, Ewan Bange met the ball with a bullet header into the back of the net to claim his 11th goal of the season and put Brig in front.

Grantham responded and came close when a long diagonal ball from the left was chipped back across goal from the right hand side of the penalty area and met with a header that went just wide of the post. The rest of the half was a very scrappy affair with neither side dominating but Brig always looking likely to add to their lead on the break.

Such a chance arrived on the half hour when Finlay Sinclair-Smith controlled a long ball on his chest, cut inside and rolled the ball square to Matt Thompson, who took a touch before drilling a low shot from 20 yards that was comfortably held by the home keeper. Moments later and Macca came close to doubling the Brig lead as he rose at the far post to get a good head on to a Sheldon Green right wing cross, the keeper diving left to push the ball around the post for a corner.

Mateusz Hewelt in the Bamber Bridge goal was then called upon on 35 minutes diving low to make a fine save at his near post following a swift break from The Gingerbreads. A series of corners for the home side were cleared before Brig had the final opportunity of the half, A superb chipped pass from Churchy, found Fin bursting into the area, The Bamber Bridge wide man played the ball square across the box but a last ditch tackle cleared the ball for a corner as Ewan Bange looked poised to stab the ball home.

The second half continued in much the same way as the first. Hewelt had to be alert as he raced from his goal to dive at the feet of the advancing home striker to make a good save. Two free kicks soon followed for the home side, one from 25 yards in the centre of the goal that was hammered high and wide, before a second free kick from 20 yards to the left of the penalty area was struck into the wall, the rebound again lashed well over the bar. In-between the two free kicks Isaac Sinclair had seen his 20 yard shot beat the keeper but land on the roof of the net.

On 70 minutes Brig made a change with Finlay Sinclair-Smith being replaced by Craig Carney. Brig were starting to get back on top at this stage and Sheldon Green was unlucky not to double the score when his close range header from a free kick on the left was scooped clear by the home keeper as it bounced right in front of him. Ewan Bange then played a delightful ball through the middle for Sheldon to run on to, his low shot was saved by the keepers legs.

The second goal for Bamber Bridge arrived in the 75th minute, just seconds after Danny Forbes had replaced Ewan Bange. Isaac Sinclair controlling a Sheldon Green cross on his chest before knocking the ball home from 6 yards. Harvey Gregson entered the fray for Brig in the 80th minute, replacing Sheldon Green as Brig looked to consolidate their lead.

With the game entering 4 minutes of stoppage time, Brig had the chance to make it three, Callum Spooner racing through the centre of the park but delaying slightly with the pass to Isaac Sinclair who had strayed just offside. Grantham took the free kick and following a quick break pulled an unlikey goal back.

Brig held firm for the remaining 2 minutes of stoppage time to claim the 3 points and cement their 4th place position in the NPL. A strange game all in all and probably not much of a spectacle for any neutrals in the crowd. But for Bamber Bridge, a solid if unspectacular performance and a win that would surely have given Brig Manager Jamie Milligan and his coaching staff much pleasure. The performance emphasised by the work rate of unsung hero Dylan Boyle in the Brig midfield who had a great match.

Onwards to Tuesday evening now as Bamber Bridge play hosts to Atherton Collieries.

Full Time: Grantham Town - 1 Bamber Bridge – 2

Bamber Bridge: Hewelt, Churchman, Thompson, Spooner, Wilson (Capt), Boyle, Green, Sinclair, Bange, Dudley, Sinclair-Smith

Subs: Carney, Forbes, Gregson