Match Report: Brigg Town vs. Stamford, 26th Nov 2011

Stamford ended the game on top of the league table but it was far from the performance the travelling supporters expected. There was an early problem when Bruno Holden had to be replaced after only 35 minutes and ended up in hospital. The good news is that, at the time, it was suspected he had fractured a cheek bone but it is only severe bruising.

 

Both sides started slowly with Brigg have more possession but without creating any threat. The first chance went to Stamford after 10 minutes with a long clearance from Mario Ziccardi headed on by Nick Ghislanzoni. He picked up the loose ball and played in Bruno Holden to run on goal but his shot was blocked.

 

Brigg took the lead on 14 minutes when a seemingly harmless ball into the Stamford box went through to Liam Davis and he shot across Ziccardi.

 

25 minutes had gone before Stamford had another shot with Adam Hewitt finishing a good move but shooting straight at Brigg keeper Tom Woodhead.

 

Bruno Holden collected an accidental elbow in the face as he tried to push past a defender. He tried to carry on after a long period of treatment but collapsed soon after and was replaced by Kieren Watson.

 

With only four minutes left in the half, Rob Northern was on the end of a ball played through the Stamford defence but, with just Ziccardi to beat, he pulled his shot well wide. Two minutes later that became an expensive miss when Stamford equalised.

 

The wind had increased and a ball played high into the Brigg box held up before dropping straight to Nick Ghislanzoni. He held off a couple of challenges before laying the ball off to Jake Gibson. He went past two defenders at speed before smashing the ball home.

 

There was still time left in the half for Brigg to have two chances to restore their lead. Ziccardi did well to turn away a fierce free kick from Connor Marshall which twisted and turned. A minute later another free kick was hit deep beyond the far post but the ball was headed back to Northern who headed over from a couple of yards.

 

In the first minute of the second half, Stamford finally showed some good football with a good move down the left wing, mainly involving Adam Hewitt, which ended with the ball passed to Andy Toyne on the edge of the box. He turned quickly but his shot rose and cleared the bar.

 

The game settled back into the pattern of the first half with Brigg having most possession. Just after the hour, Ziccardi had to be alert to tip over a 30 yard shot which was dipping under the bar. Next he was quick to block a through ball which was then hoofed clear.

 

Finally Stamford began to play some football and put Brigg under pressure. A good cross from Kieren Watson was so nearly cleared into his own net by a Brigg defender. That led to a series of four corners as Brigg defended desperately.

 

The pressure finally told when Matt Plant handled a Stamford shot on the line. The referee pointed straight to the spot and just as quickly pulled the red card from his pocket. Ghislanzoni took the spot kick and smashed the ball past Woodhead.

 

With six minutes left it looked like Stamford would increase their lead as a fierce shot from Harry Deane looked to have beaten Woodhead but, at the last second, he got finger tips to the ball to steer it past the post. From the corner Woodhead saved again to deny Stamford a third, this time a shot from Gibson.

 

With two minutes left, and Stamford supporters thinking they were going home with three points barely deserved on the day, a good cross from the left was turned into his own net by a very unlucky Hewitt.

 

Apart from 15 minutes or so in the second half, Stamford had struggled to put their game together with several players playing below their recent form. Sometimes teams win “ugly”, and it looked as if Stamford were going to achieve that until Brigg’s late equaliser. No-one could argue that Brigg deserved something from the game and a point was enough to see Stamford move into top spot in the league.

 

Stamford: Mario Ziccardi, Luke Garton, Adam Hewitt, Joe Pheasant, Miles Chamberlain, David Staff, Nathan Watson (Harry Deane 66), Andy Toyne (Danny Steadman 60), Bruno Holden (Kieren Watson 36), Nicholas Ghislanzoni, Jake Gibson.

 

Subs not used: Danny Brooks, Mark Harvey.

 

MOM Mario Ziccardi – more great saves which kept Stamford in the game..

 

Brigg: Tom Woodhead, Connor Marshall, Lawrence Heward, Lee-Roy Cochrane, Matthew Plant, Gregg Archer, Liam Davis, Joe Clement, Dan Ricketts (Danny Blackburn 82), Rob Northern, Michael Smith.

 

Subs not used: Steve Cannon, Liam Smith, Jonathan Wilkinson.