Ten Man Bridges Defiant in Defeat

A game of mixed fortunes for Bridges, who came close to snatching a draw after going down to ten men. It was Curtis Gayler who saw red after an ugly scuffle involving about fourteen players, and even then it was only the intervention of one of the referee’s assistants, who only saw Gayler’s reaction to provocation by City keeper Kieran Magee.
City’s Emmett Dunn and Bridges’ Kieran Pamment had just been shown yellow cards for their parts in the semi brawl, but aided by a baying crowd, the officials decided that Gayler should go.
It had been a relatively comfortable end to end affair up to that point with Bridges taking a 24th minute lead when Brannon O’Neill’s corner was met by the head of TAD BROMAGE. But City dominated the last ten minutes of the first half with Dunn heading against the post and Ryan Davidson heading wide.
Even then, Bridges might have doubled their tally but for an excellent block by Magee to deny Cameron Lawson following a superb ball from Noel Leighton. But instead, City made another swift break a minute before the interval and a corner by Ollie Munt spun to JOSH CLACK for a clinical equaliser.
Clack was denied twice in quick succession by Leo Anderson as City began the second half as they’d finished the first, and it was no surprise when Munt’s 59th minute corner was met at tge near post by the head of LLOYD ROWLATT.
Anderson made another brilliant save from Ethan Pritchard, but surprisingly it was Bridges who were now looking the more dangerous. Billy Irving’s cracking strike went just wide, and both Joe Stone and Pamment had successive shots blocked following some trickery by Manny Tehe, whose cameo performance also seeing him fire just over after another good run.
But it was to prove a disappointing finale with skipper O’Neill admitting that it becomes difficult trying to play with only ten men.

Bridges Man of the Match – Leo Anderson.

Bridges are at home to Sittingbourne this Saturday whilst next Tuesday (18th) they entertain Sutton Common Rovers in the Second Round of the Velocity (League) Cup.