Things are now getting a little tense at the top of the table, so much so that Clarkson brought in Ching Dang Wee Wee to give everyone a Thai massage as a special treat for the players, unfortunately some got more excited than others and a clean up of the training rooms were needed before everyone could get changed before the game.
We were late getting changed, as the game only just survived a pitch inspection. Geoff Boycott had been out and stuck his key’s into the mud, from which his ignition key for his Robin Reliant snapped in the process, and was only discovered when Clarkson was fouled late on in the 1st half.
The match could go ahead after the inspection, which was the right decision, only one other game on the Manor survived the recent downpours, so we were very lucky to have a game on.
After all that, the line up was announced as:
Lormor, Ashley, Quiche, Kirk, Mellors, Manq, Jay, Danny, Gallagher, Gav Short and Gav Edwards.
Leigh, Scott, Bread, Geary, and Daz.
In some surprising moves, Gallagher was moved to the left wing, with Gav Edwards up front, and Ashley moved to right back, despite 3 full backs filling out the bench.
From what I saw, Quiche lost the toss, and the Bridge were kicking downhill for the 1st period.
The 1st action of the game saw the visitors on the attack, and a cross from the right found it’s way to number 11 who shot wide of the far post from 18 yards.
The Bridge’s 1st action in the game, surrounded both Gav’s up front, Edwards flicked on for Short, who forced a fine save from the visiting keeper as he took the ball down well before shooting to the keepers right.
The opening 20 minutes were finely balanced, and a sign of how well the two teams had been doing all season, however from out of nowhere the visitors went ahead, when confusion in the home defence allowed the visiting striker to nip in and lift the ball over Lormor to give the side lying 3rd in the table, the early advantage.
The Bridge tried to hit back immediately, Gav Short took a quick throw in, which Gav Edwards latched onto, but his shot was scuffed and caused no panic for the away defence. Gav Edwards was involved not long after, where he crossed superbly from the left, for Gav Short to run onto, with his effort being deflected wide for a corner, which came to nothing.
The home side were level on 35 minutes though, as their pressure finally told, Gallagher won a header, that resulted in both Gav’s playing a one two with each other, which then led to Gav Short in on goal, to which he rounded the keeper to level the scores up at 1-1.
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Again, the game settled into a balanced affair, with the only other chance in the half falling to the visitors, when a free kick was crossed in well, and ended up rolling across the home goal line, before finally being cleared.
A well contested 1st half was level at 1-1 at the break.
It was the visitors that seemed to step up a gear after the water, orange juice, and oxo flask supplied by Quiche. Firstly though, Clarkson supplied a cross to Gav Short whose header came to nothing, but it was the other end where all the action would be for the next 20 minutes.
A clearance in the home defence, saw a visiting striker shoot from 25 yards, which caught Lormor out of position, but the effort rebounding of the far post, the rebound was hit over into the lake.
James managed to escape the defensive duties for a while, and charge down the right hand side, he then slipped Clarkson in, whose pass to Gav Edwards was whipped in at pace, Gav Short got on the end but saw his goal bound shot well blocked out.
Kirkby Nags Head continued to press, and tried to get in behind the defence and cross balls into the area, one such move saw the number 10 have a free header at the far post, where he headed into the ground, with the ball bouncing off the bar and to safety.
Shortly after, another attack saw a visiting striker in on goal, Quiche nearly fouled him, but credit to the player who stood up and got his shot in which was well saved by Lormor, James was also on hand to clear the rebound effort that looked goal bound.
Bread came on for the limping Mellors on 66 minutes, and the outgoing defender was praised for his match efforts.
Bread went to right back , with Ashley moving to the hard shoulder. Whilst the change was happening and everyone was settling down again, the visitors had another attack with men over, but luckily Bread was on hand to produce the clearance of the season, Lormor was lobbed and with the ball travelling into the roof of the net, Bread somehow headed the ball onto the bar, it was quite simply a match winning clearance, and one which seemed to give the Bridge the spark needed to get back into the game.
From almost that clearance, the game changed again, and the Bridge pushed up, Gallagher found himself in on the left hand side of the penalty area, and he unleashed a fine left footed shot that took a deflection and into the net, for a 2-1 lead.
Lormor kept the score at this, when he rescued Kirk from a defensive slip, whilst at the other end Gav Short was fouled, and Danny saw his free kick well dealt with. (video here)
Manq came off for Daz for the last 15 minutes.
A corner for the home side was well worked, which saw Gav Short hit the side netting, whilst Kirk went on a mazy run from centre back, and just as he looked to be going all the way, he was promptly brought down. Gav Edwards took the free kick, and his cross come shot from the kick, was converted home by Gav Short (video here). 3-1, and the Bridge had fought back well from the 20 minute battering.
Lormor tried a rush from his goal, and saw his clearance smack the number 9 on the back, luckily the ball rebounded just wide.
As the game wore on, into the last 5 minutes, things became a little physical, too physical for one visiting player who decided to elbow Daz in the face, and was quite rightly sent off, leaving a last 5 minutes to be played in a tense atmosphere.
But finally the referee blew, and the last 5 minutes should not overshadow what was an excellent top of the table clash, in which the Bridge had to fight tooth and nail to keep the visitors out during the 20 minute period just after half time. Quiche was named man of the match, but Bread ran him close just for that superb clearance.
Michael