Bamber Bridge 3 - 2 Workington

Bamber Bridge captain Matt Lawlor made it a birthday to remember, with two fantastic strikes to help earn Brig a 3-2 win over Workington AFC.

The home victory under the lights made it four points from the opening two games in the EVO-STIK Premier League for Brig, after promotion via the Play-Offs last season.

And Lawlor more than played his part with two goals of the highest order, as well as a superbly taken header from Alistair Waddecar.

It was Waddecar that opened the scoring on the half hour mark, latching on to a great cross from Macauley Wilson to loop a perfectly placed header into the far corner.

If you thought that was a well taken goal, it was topped five minutes later when the centre-back Lawlor came alive in the box to thump home on the volley after Matt Dudley’s effort was parried out.

It was a first half dominated by the hosts and they came out and started the second in similar fashion.

Five minutes into the second half it got even better for Brig and the birthday boy.

This time the ball was cleared and the Brig No.4 worked it on to his left foot and curled a delicious strike into the top corner from the edge of the box – a goal any striker would’ve been proud of.

At 3-0 the game looked well out of sight for the visitors who had been second best, but they were handed some encouragement when Jason Walker broke the offside trap and dinked a lovely effort over Lloyd Rigby to pull one back.

With 20 minutes to play the hosts managed the game well, Brad Carsley came close to adding a fourth with a powerful header at the back post.

But the last 30 seconds or so were made slightly more nerve racking, when Walker added his and Workington’s second deep into second half injury time with a half-volley from inside the box that crashed in off the underside of the crossbar.

That proved to be the last piece of action and the final whistle was music to Brig ears, as they claimed their first win in only their second game in a league higher.

Next up is a trip to Stocksbridge Park Steels in the preliminary round of the FA Cup, a game in which Neil Reynolds says changes will be made for.

Match reporter: George Hodgson (@ghodgsonsport)