A new chapter for Bamber Bridge opened at Gainsborough Trinity on Saturday afternoon. After seven years with Jamie Milligan in charge, of which there were many more highs than lows and some absolutely fabulous memorie, Jamie made the decision to leave the club.

Into the breach steps Ex North End midfielder, Paul McKenn. With over 400 appearances for PNE and 552 matches in total during his 20 year playing career. "Kenna" aslo had two seasons playing for Bamber Bridge towards the end of his playing days, so he already has first hand experience of what it is to be a "Brigger".

An opening fixture for the new boss as any you could imagine as we travelled East to Lincolnshire and Gainsborough to face the club currently fourth in the table and one of the favourite for promotion from the NPL.A 10:30 am start from Brig and we were on our way to "The Northholme" home of Gainsborough Trinity, or The Holy Blues as they are nicknamed.

The Stadium holds claim to being the oldest ground in World Football continuosly usesd by a single team.
 

An early 1pm arrival gave us the opportunity to sample the fine selection of beer on offer in the Elm Cottage pub just one minutes walk from the ground and a pub frequently visited by the Briggers on our trips to Gainsborough. Whilst in the pub we learned of the signing of Leo Thompson who had arrived at Brig from Avro FC, and was available to make his debut.

An impeccably observed minute’s silence in remembrance of all those who fell in the two World Wars and in conflicts since, preceded the kick-off. Brig playing towards the open terrace end of the ground. A good decision given that the home keeper would have the setting sun obscuring his vision.


The Holy Blues, as expected started at a fast pace, with Brig looking to play on the break. The back four holding firm under early pressure before The Lancashire side began to build in to the game. Charlie Brier in the Brig nets was first to a couple of attempted through balls before, at the other End Nat Percival-Knight got on the end of corner only to see the home keeper dive to smother the ball.

Brig were competing well, looking compact and playing some good football as the half wore on, Jeff Adubofour connecting with a long throw in but directing his shot wide of the post. Another Brig corner was headed off the line as confidence grew. The hosts claimed a penalty on the half hour as Charlie Brier in goal challenged and won the ball, the referee signalling nothing doing for Trinity. Brigs next attack see Temi Adibola strike a hard low effort from 25 yards that zipped just wide.
 

Brig saw off late pressure before the half time break to go in goalless to much applause from the travelling Briggers.
The second half began with Brig looking confident, a fine flowing move ended with a superb Jamie Allen curling effort from the left side of the box that beat the keeper but flashed inches wide. James Butterworth than turned well in the box to get away a goal-bound shot that was deflected over the bar for a corner


Jack Baxter then drove forwards and struck a shot that again flashed just wide, Brig were in the ascendancy and probably deserved to be ahead at the midway stage of the second half. The home side however, made a couple of changes and began to force their way back into the game. Brig were coping admirably in defence until on 75 minutes a superb ball sent the home striker through on goal, his low drive beating Charlie Brier to give the hosts the lead.

Brig made a change, bringing Lewis Trickett on for hard working Temi Adibola. Now it wouldn’t be unfair to suggest that in some recent fixtures Brig, may have perhaps lost confidence and gone on to conced a second soon after. On this occasion however the lads responded in superb spirit. No sign of heads dropping as they went on the offensive looking for a deserved equaliser.


That equaliser duly arrived on 84 minutes, Jack Baxter picking out the corner of the net from 20 yards with a superb low drive. Seeing James Butterworth race into the net to retrieve the ball and get it back to the centre circle gave us Briggers celebrating behind the goal a huge lift as it showed the desire within the team to drive on and try to win the match.

In the end, the game finished all square at 1-1 but the result and performance was greeted with much aplomb by the Brig fans, who gave their side a terrific reception. One game in for Paul McKenna, and a very good performance and result that most, if not all of us would have snapped your hand off for, at kick off.


Onwards to Emley on Tuesday evening to replay the fog abandoned match of a few weeks ago. Sadly, we won’t start with the 3 goal lead we had at the time the ref called the match off. But before all that, we were off in to the Holy Blues clubhouse to celebrate the performance, before the long but pleasant journey back to Lancashire.

A Brig away day to Whitby Town, not the shortest of journeys by any stretch, but today’s encounter included 2 hours sat on a stationary coach following a serious collision on The A1(M) where a car had overturned and a Caravan ended up half way down the embankment at the side of the Motorway.

With several Police cars, two Ambulances, a Fire Engine and Recovery Vehicles passing us on the hard shoulder, any frustration we might have felt at the hold up was firmly put into perspective. Hopefully all those involved escaped without serious injury.

Our eventual arrival at The Turnbull Ground in Whitby more than 5 hours after we left Bamber Bridge meant a 4:15 kick off. We weren’t alone, also stuck in the traffic congestion were FC United of Manchester on route to Stockton Town and Merthyr Town of The National League North heading for Darlington.


A sunny but blustery and surprisingly cold late afternoon greeted our arrival to The Seaside town, but the Brig lads were soon into their stride and looking to continue where they left off at half time last Tuesday in the abandoned game at Emley FC.

Bamber Bridge were certainly the more composed of the two sides in the early exchanges, passing the ball well and looking to get down both flanks. An early flowing Brig move ended with an Archie Lang shot that cleared the bar. Chances were at a premium however with neither keeper really being tested.


With the closing stages of the half approaching Whitby had a great opportunity as The Blues No.6 won possession and raced clear towards goal but resolute recovery defending by Tom Barkhuizen saw him closed down before he could get a shot away.

The second half began with the hosts on the front foot as they pinned Brig back. Three minutes into the half they were awarded a penalty for a foul on the left edge of the penalty area. The Whitby Town No.9 Stepped up and blasted the ball high, wide and not so handsome, over the bar wide of the post.


Buoyed by the penalty miss, Brig played their way back into the contest, Archie Lang fired a shot just wide before Tom Barkhuizen struck a half volleyed effort narrowly wide. The game was now becoming more open as space developed and Brig keeper Charlie Briers dived to make a fine save to keep a shot out that looked destined for the bottom corner.

Brig changes on 70 minutes brought James Butterworth and Lewis Trickett in to the action, Butterworth was just inches away from connection with a Lang cross and then “Tricky Lewis” jinked his way into the box leaving 3 defenders in his wake, before striking a low shot that the home keeper saved with his legs, the rebound cannoning back off Lewis and over the bar.


Harry Benns came on for the final ten minutes with Brig looking the more likely and looking for the winner. The home defence stood strong however and the game ended in a goalless draw. An entertaining encounter and a fine point coupled with a great clean sheet for Brig.

That’s two, well one and a half great away performances from Bamber Bridge this week. Without the intervention of The Yorkshire fog at half time on Tuesday evening, Brig would surely have ended the week with 4 points. The turnaround in games continues apace however and on Tuesday evening we welcome The Yellows of Warrington Town to Irongate. More of the same will do nicely.

Some you win, some you lose, and some…...Well, they get abandoned at half time when you’re 3-0 ahead!!! Sods Law they call it. Nobody’s fault, Brig were tonight simply the victim of circumstance.

An evening coach journey took us in to deepest foggiest West Yorkshire. High up on Emley Moor, we arrived In good time to sample the wares of the local Village pub, The superb Ossett Brewery, White Horse Inn. A fine watering hole with a fabulous selection of Ossett’s finest Real Ales..And the odd Lager as well.


Leaving the pub and embarking on the 30 second walk to the wonderfully named “Fantastic Media Welfare Ground”. We couldn’t help but notice the Yorkshire Clag was beginning to descend, an eerie drizzly mist swirling around the floodlights. At this point we actually joked, “It’ll be just our luck that this game will get called off when we’re winning”! Many a true word spoken in jest.


The game started with The mist hovering over the pitch, we debated “Is it getting any worse?” Initially no, all was well. Brig had started really brightly and were zipping the ball around the slick, damp excellent looking playing surface. A couple of corners and a couple of decent free kicks had seen Brig come close, before on 10 minutes The Briggers took a deserved lead, Tom Barkhuizen with a superb left wing cross was neatly headed home by Temi Adjibola, for his first Brig goal, or so we thought at the time.


Brig almost made it two moments later as Jamie Allen burst towards goal, squared it to Emerich Poilly, who’s first time shot was superbly saved and pushed out for a corner by the home keeper. However, It wasn’t long before Brig were to double their advantage, Archie Lang with a fierce shot from the edge of the box, took a slight deflection and pinged into the roof of the net.

With the gloom beginning to thicken, thoughts began turning to “Surely Not?” Brig were enjoying their best 45 minutes of the season and looking for more. With the clock approaching stoppage time, Jamie Allen found space to volley home a right wing cross, I think it was from the right wing, hard to see at his point in proceedings.


The half time whistle blew. That was a very good half of football. The players had come out with fire in their bellies and deservedly looked to have the three points in the bag. But then…. With the players coming out for the second half, the home side  clearly advising the referee that conditions had worsened, in truth they had, although we could just about make out the goalposts at the far end, The referee made the decision to call off the match.

Rules in football change on what seems a monthly basis. Brig fans in the ground were convinced the rules suggested that if the ref could see both goals from half way, then play should continue. The referee later confirmed to us that the ruling now is that the officials must be able to see both ends of the pitch from the longest distance, in other words diagonally from corner flag to corner flag. I feel his decision was probably correct at the time. Despite the massive disappointment the fog did look to be getting thicker.


Then Sods Law bit us on the backside again, 20 minutes after the abandonment, the fog had lifted to be replaced by heavier drizzle. Suddenly the pitch was visible, but just too late. The goals will be chalked off and we will return at a later date to replay the fixture from the beginning again. But as they say, “Them’s The Rules!”

On the upside, we get to visit the superb White Horse Inn again. On the pitch, the players have shown us, and more importantly themselves that they have what it takes to climb us up the NPL table. So, we move on to Whitby Town at the weekend. More of the same please lads, let’s just hope we don’t have any coastal fog rolling in off the North Sea.