Bridlington Town 4-1 Bridlington Town Reserves (Pre-Season Friendly)
By Ben Edwards.
In an afternoon that was about much more than just a game of football, as people of Bridlington came down to watch the town’s two highest ranked teams whilst getting the opportunity to meet the new owners, Bridlington Town came out 4-1 winners against the reserve team.
As chairman Dan Rogers got the game underway, the opening 10 minutes provided little goalmouth action, before George Harrison’s cross was scuffed clear to Eddie Birch, who placed it straight at Harry Connelly from 15 yards.
Birch then found himself with an excellent chance when Harrison’s cross from the left found him just meters away from goal, but he headed wide.
With just under 20 minutes gone, Harrison was tackled as the ball ran out for a corner. Matty Bowman took the inswinger from the left, which found Josh Barrett who headed home to open the scoring.
Straight from kick off, Ashton Dowson tried his luck from 25 yards for the reserves, but it went a long way high and wide.
A superb low cross from Bowman was met by Simon Heslop, who tried to guide it into the bottom left corner, though it was saved by Connelly.
The advantage was doubled when Barrett ran onto a ball in behind, before rounding Connelly and slotting into the empty net.
Within minutes of the second goal, Bridlington Town had a couple of chances to add a third, firstly as Harrison’s effort from the edge of the box was easily saved by Connelly.
Moments later, Curtis Morrison’s cross from the right found Barrett at the back post, who was denied his hattrick by the crossbar.
Will Sutton saw his cross blocked deep into the first half, before receiving the ball short from the resulting corner. He picked out Benn Lewis at the back post, who nodded the ball across goal, but Harrison’s header was saved.
A deep free kick from the reserves found Joe Pratley at the back post. He battled well before picking out Will Webb on the edge of the box, whose first time shot went over.
Seconds before the half time whistle, Sutton picked out Bowman in the penalty area, who volleyed the wrong side of the left post.
Coby Scotter replaced the injured Barrett just three minutes into the second half, and immediately saw his effort treacle just wide of the left post.
A cross from the left found Bowman at the back post, whose looping header went over the crossbar.
Substitute Ryan Bemrose picked up the ball on the left flank, before cutting inside and firing at Connelly.
Just after the hour mark, the reserves’ deficit was halved, when a ball over the top down the right flank set Liam Tibbet in behind, who produced a composed finish past Owen Grainger.
A minute after conceding, Morrison let fly from 25 yards, but he was off balance and the ball flew over the bar.
With 20 minutes remaining, Heslop rattled the crossbar from range before Scotter cut the ball back to Bemrose, whose first time effort was saved.
Bill Ripley’s cross found Bowman with space in the area, but Connelly once again was on hand to save.
Scotter did well to cut inside and beat Williamson, but his shot was well stopped at the near post by Connelly. Heslop then volleyed wide from 20 yards.
A ball in over the top with just under 10 minutes to go unleashed Scotter in behind, who restored the two-goal lead with a composed, dinked finish over Connelly.
Heslop found himself in an unfamiliar position on the right wing, seeing his cross blocked for a corner. Scooter header over from the set-piece.
Jake Lister crossed from the left, picking out Jordan Shaw, who shot straight at Grainger.
Another player local to Bridlington got himself on the scoresheet in the 86th minute, as Ripley’s effort from the edge of the area flew into the back of the net.
Trialist C was brought down on the edge of the area, with Tom Algar stepping up to take the free kick, curling it just off target.
