Bamber Bridge 3 Leigh Genesis 0

By Matt Lawton
April 16 2011

Leigh Genesis' poor season continued to slump towards it's conclusion as Alan Kershaw's side suffered a comprehensive defeat away to seventh-placed Bamber Bridge.

With brothers Nathan and Marvin McDonald unavailable and Dave Dempsey suspended, Leigh were down to the bare bones of their squad to the extent that coach Richard Ward started up front alongside Neil Smith with Connor Millington's arrival at the ground delayed, while youngster Andy Farrimond continue to deputise in goal for the injured Phil Priestley.

An early head injury to home skipper Michael White saw him replaced by Peter Wright after just eight minutes of play before Neil Smith did well on twenty minutes to hold the ball up and create enough space for a shot from a tight angle that brushed Ben Hinchliffe's crossbar.

Wright created an opportunity on twenty three minutes that saw Gavin Clark smash a strike against the crossbar before Bridge took the lead six minutes later when Luke Atherton was left unmarked at a corner to head home.

After a hardworking thirty two minutes, Ward was withdrawn from the action with the late arrival at the ground of Connor Millington but it made little difference to the course of the first half as the hosts retained their one goal lead at the break.

Bamber Bridge's lead was doubled just six minutes in to the second half when a cross from the right hand side evaded Farrimond and left Chris Marlow with the simple task of heading home at the back post, with the rout completed on eighty minutes with an absolute screamer of a strike from Neil Reynolds, volleying the ball in to the top corner from thirty yards out.

The hosts had a golden chance to add to their lead as the game edged towards stoppage time when they were awarded a particularly soft penalty when Stuart Rudd nicked the foot of Peter Wright, who was barely moved by the challenge and even continued to retain possession in the penalty area with barely a flinch. As it was, Wright stepped up for the penalty and struck wildly over the crossbar to such a height that it was almost a surprise not to see the linesmen stood behind the goal and acting as touch judges at a conversion attempt.

Leigh's final two home games of the season come within the next week when Mossley are the visitors to Crilly Park this Tuesday (19th April, 7.45pm kick off) before the visit of Warrington Town the following Saturday (23rd April, 3pm).

Leigh Genesis; Andy Farrimond, Alex Grisedale, Steve Brockley, Stuart Rudd, Gary Grant, Steve Ferrigan, Richard Ward (Connor Millington 31), James Kelly, Neil Smith, Dale McDonald, Nikos Papargiris

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