BAFC Reserves 2, Rothwell Athletic Reserves 3

Boroughbridge Reserves slumped to a disappointing 3-2 home defeat to Rothwell Athletic as the West Yorkshire League season got underway on Saturday. The game started brightly, Paul Smith forcing Lee Walker in the visitors goal to make two full stretch saves, before Johnny Lowes cleared off the line and Ollie Barton tipped over the bar as the home side were made to defend. Smith made sure though on 20 minutes as Walker spilled the ball into his path, the striker stabbing home from 3 yards to give ‘Bridge the lead.  Just a minute later, Chris Chapman was ruled to have brought down Oliver Crossley in the area, and Jack Griffiths made no mistake from the spot to level. Rothwell took the lead two minutes into the second half as Craig Tawton completed a fine attacking move when he turned in a shot fired across the goalmouth, with ‘Bridge looking increasingly short of ideas and lacking in cohesion. One of the lynchpins behind ‘Bridge’s fine form last year however was the determination of Dave Coffey, and he began to exert his authority on the match. His reward came when a Richard Shaw cross caused keeper Walker more problems, and he dropped the ball under pressure leaving Coffey to stroke home from the edge of the six yard box. From here there should only have been one winner, but again Rothwell exposed the frailties in the home team when Nick Braithwaite powered home a fine header from six yards to give Rothwell a 3-2 lead with only 4 minutes to go.

‘Bridge manager Dave Ekin was understandably disappointed at his side’s Jekyll and Hyde performance, as certain players looked half a yard short of pace at times, yet they could have and perhaps should have taken all three points.

MOM - Stu Henry