Prescot Cables 4 v 0 Bridlington Town
By Ben Edwards
It was Prescot Cables who progressed through to the second qualifying round having thrashed weakened Bridlington Town side 4-0.
Matty Dixon and Jack Walters both missed out through minor injuries, both of whom proved to be big losses for the Seasiders.
Just three minutes it took for the hosts to take the lead, with Kyle Sambor’s effort inside the penalty area being placed perfectly into the left hand side of the goal, leaving James Hitchcock with no chance.
Ali Aydemir, whose performance in an unfamiliar right-back position was one of the main positives for Bridlington, nicked the ball off an attacker to concede the first corner of the game. The set-piece was played short but eventually skied from 12-yards.
The visitors came close to finding an equaliser when Tom Algar’s deep free kick from the left found the head of Lewis Dennison, who forced ‘keeper Mitchell Allen into an excellent save. Had the chance gone in, it may well have changed the whole complexion of the game. From the resulting corner, Pete Davidson headed over.
Just after the 15-minute mark the advantage was doubled. Nathan Koehler’s long throw was a threat all afternoon. On this occasion it found John Murphy, with the striker’s flicked header nestling into the right hand side of the goal.
Bridlington continued to look most threatening from set-pieces, with a corner from the left finding James Williamson, who was stretching and headed wide of the right post.
With eight minutes until the break, Dennison did really well to steal the ball off a defender on the left flank. He spun and laid the ball off to Jake Martindale, whose effort from 20-yards went straight to Allen.
Right on the brink of half time, Prescot added a third. Pete Davidson failed to block a cross from the left, which found Jack Goodwin who had the easy task of heading home at the back post.
Just three minutes into the second half, the ball rebounded after another Koehler long throw, though the eventual effort flew narrowly wide.
The hosts made it four with 62 minutes played, as Sambor’s cross from the right was tapped home by Matthew Hamilton, who beat Hitchcock to the ball.
Sambor got in behind with 20 minutes remaining, but skied the ball over Hitchcock’s goal.
The two Bridlington Town used substitutes, Max Ezard and Finlay Southcoat, with the midfielder’s ball into the latter being cut out. The ball rebounded to Ezard, who fired over from 20-yards.
A Cables free kick from the left wing found Thomas Owens, but he headed over the crossbar from close range. Hamilton then fired over from inside the area towards the left.
Hitchcock was then forced into a great save one-on-one with the ever-dangerous Sambor, as the winger dispossessed Williamson. The shot-stopper ensured the game finished just 4-0.
