MATCH REPORT: MARKET DRAYTON 2 BRIGG TOWN 4

BY BOB TAYLOR

By extending their current unbeaten run to four games, Brigg Town FC moved up four places in the Evo-Stik League Division One. 

With Ollie Fisher unavailable, Paul Ashton returned to the starting line-up and new signing Tyler Collishaw was named as a substitute.

Straight from the kick off, the home team won a right wing throw, which was cleared from the goal area but played back in for Rob Zand to save low down. Brigg’s response came with an attack down their own right wing with Jordan Thewliss winning a free kick outside the penalty area but Scott Matthews curled this past the upright post. Danny Buttle then won a corner kick on the left but this was played too deeply across the penalty area and out of play. The home team had a great chance to open the scoring when a poor back pass from Paul Ashton fell at the feet of Maryn Davies but Rob Zand smothered his strike at goal. Brigg replied with Jordan Thewliss played clear in the penalty area but goalkeeper Damien Stevens made a point blank save. The first goal came from a right wing corner kick in the sixteenth minute when RYAN PACZKOWSKI timed his run into the goal area to head home Scott Matthews’ delivery.  In the next minute, the home team missed out on another golden opportunity when Robert Stevenson blasted the ball over the cross bar from close range.

George Zuerner made a strong run down the Brigg right wing and crossed the ball for Anthony Bowsley to strike a shot over the bar. Then Market Drayton won a right wing corner kick, but this was cleared for Brigg to counter attack with Jordan Thewliss and Danny Buttle combining well before the former headed inches wide of Damien Stevens’ goal.  Play was end to end at this mid- way stage of the first half and for the home team, Chris Peel struck a shot narrowly by the top angle of the goal from a neat lay off following a left wing attack.  Brigg doubled their lead after twenty seven minutes of play when RYAN PACZKOWSKI latched on to a long forward pass down the middle of the pitch with Jordan Thewliss alongside him and found the back of the net from fifteen yards out with a firm drive. The Brigg striker was denied a first half hat trick two minutes when he struck another shot on target but goalkeeper Damien Stevens saved well by tipping the ball over the cross bar. However, Brigg scored a third goal after thirty-four minutes when JORDAN THEWLISS  found the top corner of the net with a deflection on his shot from twenty yards out. The home team went close to getting a goal back before half time from a free kick outside the area but played just over Rob Zand’s cross bar and then with the last kick of the first half, Jordan Thewliss struck another half-volley just over the bar from the left wing  to restrict the lead at the break to three goals..

The home team were back in the game within five minutes of the restart. Scott Matthews lost possession of the ball close to the half way line on the Brigg left and the ball was played across the pitch for Chris Peel in open space to deliver a good cross to the far side of Brigg’s penalty area for MARTYN DAVIES to find the roof of the net with a firm header. Nicky Porter went close to reducing the arrears further but struck his shot wide but Brigg reclaimed their three goal cushion after fifty-six minutes when JORDAN THEWLISS was quickest to react in the penalty area after Anthony Bowsley’s left wing corner to the far post was headed against the foot of the post by Scott Hellewell. Four minutes later, the home team scored again when a left wing attack resulted in a deflected shot from ROBERT STEVENSON finding the top corner of the net. With half an hour of play still remaining, the game could have swung either way but Rob Zand produced another good save low down to preserve the two goal lead and then Michael Jacklin and Scott Hellewell rallied the Brigg team to defend their lead well to win  all three points.

Brigg Town:  Zand, Ashton, Matthews, Bowsley, Hellewell, Jacklin, Zuerner, Dickens, Paczkowski,Thewliss, Buttle. Subs:   Broughton (63) for Buttle,  Collishaw (86) for Zuerner.

  Peers,   Wright and Iggleden   not used.

Attendance:    81.

Brigg face Eastwood Town at home on Tuesday evening (Oct 15) and follow this up with a trip to Frickley on Saturday afternoon for their F.A. Trophy Competition game.