Three Bridges 1 Corinthian Casuals 2: Goalkeeper denies Bridges again
JPCO 261212 Football, Crawley Down v Three Bridges. Photo Derek Martin
Two sloppy goals conceded and, for the second game running, Bridges found an opposition goalkeeper in fine form as another defeat extended their winless streak to 12 matches.
The one bright note for Bridges on a wet and windy evening was that a handful of Crawley Town fans and 30 Preston North End supporters boosted the Jubilee Field gate after the match at Broadfield Stadium was postponed for a waterlogged pitch just an hour before kick-off.
A bad back pass after 19 minutes left Tim Rivers clear at goal, but Danny Bracken made the first of many fine blocks on the night, and he even rode his luck two minutes later when he stuck out a foot to deflect a rocket shot from Hassan Nyang wide for a corner.
Matt Ellis then had a three-minute spell of activity, firstly cracking a long range free-kick which was just tipped over by the bar by Pawel Szelemej, who was then grateful to see Ellis’ next free-kick sail over and his corner beat everyone to land at the opposite corner flag.
It seemed to spur Bridges back into life and after 38 minutes they took the lead when Joel O’Hara threaded a lovely ball through to Abu Touray, who steadied himself before firing home for his first goal in 11 appearances. But the lead lasted just five minutes as James Cottee, who’d already stung Szelemej’s hands with a blistering effort, floated in a corner which somehow evaded everyone and was over the line before Steve Goddard’s back heel made sure anyway.
And it got worse for the home side seven minutes into the second half when a luke warm free-kick by Danny Green squirmed into the box and was nudged over the line with ease by an unmarked Joe Hicks.
Bridges almost responded immediately when Marcus Elliott’s snap shot was pushed away by Bracken, but Casuals wasted a golden chance straight after when the normally deadly Jamie Byatt headed over an open goal.
Nyang forced Bracken to make another superb tip over, and substitute Charlie Cooke’s first involvement almost brought an equaliser, but Elliott’s blast was parried and Touray’s follow-up was also saved brilliantly. Szelemej had to make a fine last minute save himself to prevent Byatt from adding to Bridges’ woes, but this was another night when the goalkeeping Gods seemed to conspire against Paul Faili’s men.
Bridges: Szelemej, Carden (Boateng 73), Brake, Maxwell, Hooper (Cooke 79), O’Hara, Peauroux, Nyang, McCrae, Rivers (Touray 26), Elliott.
Unused subs: Olafunmishe, Johnson
Attendance: 268
Aerotron Man of the Match: Marlon Maxwell
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Weather for Crawley
Thursday 23 May 2013
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 4 C to 12 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 5 C to 10 C
Wind Speed: 21 mph
Wind direction: North west
