Bamber Bridge 2 - 1 Mossley (18/09/18)

A late goal from winger Jordan Darr ensured Bamber Bridge’s passage into the next round of the Integro League Cup, with a 2-1 win over Mossley.

Both managers rung the changes for this one, with an FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round tie in the pipeline on Saturday for the two.

It was the hosts who really ought to have taken the lead inside five minutes.

Ryan White, operating at left-back, swung in a wicked cross that Alistair Waddecar latched on to, only to see his well-struck effort superbly palmed behind by the fingertips of Diba.

And five minutes later they came close again, when James Boyd’s glancing header from inside the box was headed clear off the line.

It was Brig who continued to force the issue and White came close himself on the half hour mark, with a left-footed drive across the net that whistled just wide.

Jordan Darr had been lively in the first half and the young winger came close to opening the score when he skipped inside with a lovely piece of skill, before firing over with his left foot.

HT: Bamber Bridge 0-0 Mossley

There was a much more even feel to the opening stages of the second-half, with little offered from either team in terms of chances.

In fact, it was Mossley who had the first real chance on the hour mark, when the ball dropped kindly to Logan Jeffs who rattled wide from close range.

Brig still carried a threat but were struggling to carve out the chances they did in the first-half – a shot in anger from Hyuga Tanner the only effort of note in the second half, with 70 minutes gone.

And a couple of minutes later the visitors got the goal.

Jeffs again found himself free in the box and this time the defender made no mistake, bulleting home the header from the corner into the roof of the net.

With 10 left to play Darr had a golden chance to equalise when he found himself free down the left, but after breaking one-on-one he slid the ball narrowly wide.

That miss was soon forgotten seconds later though, when substitute Matt Dudley curled an effort from the edge of the box that deflected into the bottom corner.

With penalties looming, another Brig substitute played their part – Phil Doughty hurling himself in front of the ball to block Mason Duffy’s goal-bound effort.

Brig have a fortunate habit of scoring late goals at the Sir Tom Finney Stadium and they nicked it again late in the day.

Darr, through on goal again in added time, kept his cool and lofted the ball over the onrushing Diba, to send Brig through into the next round of the competition.

Match reporter: George Hodgson (@ghodgsonsport)