BOROUGHBRIDGE 0 KNARESBOROUGH 2
Local rivals Knaresborough, who have added a steely determination to their game, ended ‘Bridge’s recent good run with a hard fought but deserved victory at Aldborough Road. Following Jim Bradley superb second minute free kick that rattled the home bar ‘Bridge came more into the game with their best chance falling to Ben Jones who could not get enough power on a Paul Eagling cross to trouble James Stratton. After testing each other out in a competitive opening spell the vital breakthrough came in the 20th minute resulting from a poor ‘Bridge free kick and an incisive counter attack which saw Graham Whitehead pick out Baz Littlefair with a superb cross-field pass and the former ‘Bridge player rubbed salt into the wound as his cross was headed home by Steve Bromley. For the next 15 minutes ‘Bridge lost their way as Littlefair was just off target, Bromley failed to capitalize on a stray Stu Hendry pass and Alastair Hogg produced a fine save to deny Matty Whitehead. Richie Mullen and Danny Webster were then both off target as ‘Bridge ended the half more positively, a confidence, they took into the second period putting ‘Boro under pressure for long periods. Apart, however, from a Kevin Cameron effort that Stratton blocked with his legs the visitors generally held sway and their ability to break quickly always posed a threat. On one occasion Giuseppe Downing was only denied by an excellent save from Hogg and then, at the other end, Ben Mudd headed a Martin Hutchinson free kick against the bar with Stratton well beaten. As ‘Bridge searched for the equalizer they became more vulnerable to the counter attack and on 83 minutes Dan Wright put the game to bed when he picked up a loose ball from another ‘Bridge dead ball situation to exchange passes with Downing and slip the ball past the advancing Hogg. ‘Bridge battled hard to get something out of the game but in the end had to accept second best as ‘Boro completed a League double for the second successive season.
MOM RICHARD MULLEN