21 Feb 2012

Town 3 : Bamber Bridge 1

Salmon Leaps to Net Town 3 Points!

Town extended their unbeaten run in 2012, to eight games, after a perfomance which saw two late goals secure all three points, after seeing their initial lead wiped out.

Manager Joey Dunn was able to name the same eleven that drew 1-1 with Mossley on the previous Saturday, the only change coming on the bench, saw the return to the club of Gavin Salmon, having re-signed earlier in the day from Salford City, who replaced youngster James Anderson.

Town came out of the blocks and started well, with winger Allan Collins shooting straight at Bridge keeper Lee Dovey. As time wore on, the visitors got themselves into the game, with striker Ryan Salmon stooping to head a teasing Chris Marlow cross over the bar.

Warrington began to dominate the game, with the right side pairing of Allan Collins and Mike Duffy combining well to give the visiting defence problems, indeed, both players combined to go close in a three minute spell of Town pressure.

All the pressure had to pay off, and in the 36th minute, it did, striker Lee Madin picking the ball up on the edge of the area, after neat build up play, before he turned his marker and curled a fantastic shot into the corner of the net, past a statuesque Dovey.

Town continued to dominate proceedings and right on the stroke of half time, the same player had a great chance to extend Town's lead, but shot straight at Dovey at his near post from close range, when a pass to a colleague may have been a better option

Second Half

Bridge came out for the second period and appeared to be a side rejuvenated, and soon found an equaliser, Danny Mahoney being in the right place to slot home at the far post, after a goalmouth scramble which saw Town keeper Paul Pritchard produce a fine save to deny striker Roberto Bonamino, only to palm the ball into the path of Mahoney.

After the initial spell of pressure, Town gradually began to get on top of their visitors, with winger Liam Shipton being denied by a fine last gasp challenge by Bridge centre half Luke Atherton, when he was about to pull the trigger and have a shot.

In what was a very open game, both sides went close soon afterwards, Town midfielder Dale Wright seeing his shot blocked before Bridge striker Salmon saw his shot cannon back off the crossbar. Town had a great chance to go ahead again, midfielder Kyle Hamid playing Rob Hardwick through, only for the striker to see his angled shot go narrowly wide of the target, before Shipton shot straight at Dovey.

Once more soon after, Town saw the woodwork come to their aid, Salmon shooting against the upright, before winger Alastair Waddecar saw his long range piledriver saved spectacularly by Pritchard.

In a game, which looked like it could go either way, Town came close, not once but three times shortly afterwards, Wright, Rob Hardwick and Collins all seeing efforts blocked by the Bridge rearguard before Wright shot over.

The introduction of Gavin Salmon for his second debut for the club with fifteen minutes left, proved to be a masterstroke by Dunn, as just six minutes later, Salmon leapt high to net Matt Cross' excellent corner and give Town a lead that they would not surrender this time.

With five minutes to go Town extended their lead, captain Tom Hardwick rose to head home another fine Cross corner for his first goal of the season and to secure a hard earned three points.

Town: Pritchard, Duffy (Jackson, 90), Cross, Humphreys, T Hardwick (c), Hamid, Collins (Thompson, 74), Wright, Madin, R Hardwick (G Salmon, 74), Shipton, subs not used: Ness, Glass