Bridlington Town 4 v 0 Hall Road Rangers
Report by Ben Edwards
Seasiders progress to Senior Cup Semi-Final
A convincing 4-0 victory saw Bridlington Town see off Hall Road Rangers in the East Riding Senior Cup Quarter Final.
Benn Lewis returned to the starting lineup from injury, whilst further up the pitch Andy Norfolk and Jack Yates came in. Matty Dixon and Ali Aydemir were rested as precautions, with Jake Martindale dropping to the bench.
Early into the game, Bridlington Town passed the ball well down the left before Lewis Dennison curled a shot over the crossbar.
Just a minute later, Rob Hall’s powerful effort was also too high, though the initial signs showed that both sides wanted to try and play attractive, entertaining football.
With just over 15 minutes gone, Yates got on the end of a ball over the top. He beat his man by cutting infield but curled his effort just over.
Less than 60 seconds after, Dennison pounced on a mistake from a Hall Road defender. He dribbled into the penalty area before placing the ball into the back of the net with a composed finish to make it a goal in four consecutive games for the striker.
Ten minutes later, Nick Hutton’s inswinging corner from the right hand side found Jack Griffin at the near post, who flicked the ball excellently to James Williamson at the back post who headed the ball into the empty net – the centre-back’s second goal in two games having netted his first goal of the season in our last game against Carlton.
With seven minutes of the first half remaining, Dennison met a high cross from Will Sutton at the back post, but headed just wide of the right post.
Just before the break, a great ball over the top from Jack Bulless found Hutton. He flicked it over the head of goalkeeper Haydn Withill before finishing into the empty net, but the offside flag was up. Nevertheless, the host went into half time two goals up.
The Seasiders started the second half as they ended the first. Hutton whipped in a great free kick to the back post, which caused a goalmouth scramble but they couldn’t quite get the ball over the line and won a corner.
Two minutes later, Dennison saw his left footed effort from the edge of the area strike the crossbar!
The visitors then grew into the game on the hour mark, with them getting in behind down the right but a square ball was claimed by James Hitchcock. Paul Wray then unleashed a powerful effort from the edge of the penalty area, but it was straight at Hitchcock.
Again Sutton found himself in a crossing position high up the pitch. He whipped the ball into Hutton, whose initial shot was blocked. The rebound fell back to him, but he couldn’t quite convert.
With 20 minutes remaining, a Hall Road corner was cleared to the 18-yard line, where Wray again struck but it was a long way.
Just a few minutes after replacing Norfolk, Martindale spread the ball brilliantly to Lewis on the right hand side. He gave it infield to Hutton, whose first touch was heavy but his second was brilliant – a wonderful strike into the right hand side of the goal.
Having scored his first goal for the club against Carlton with another brilliant strike, it made it two screamers in two games for Hutton.
The wide man then flicked the ball on well to Lewis, whose blocked cross found Martindale, with the trio linking up well down the right. The substitute layed he ball to Griffin 20 yards out, who fired over.
One minute until full time, a free kick from the skipper was headed by Martindale, though straight at Withill.
Yet another superb ball from Martindale set Dennison free in behind, who with the last kick of the game showed good composure once more to slot the ball past the Hall Road shot-stopper, sealing the deal with his brace.
The win means Bridlington Town will take on Hessle Sporting Club in the semi-final of the competition. Before that, however, the Seasiders have another home game with Consett AFC coming to town.
