Blackbridge made the season a 2 and 0 start but made hard work of the win.
The game saw blackbridge have to make a couple of enforced changes with no Trickey and Roberts in the starting line up and Morgan taking a sabbatical due to squad size, in came Redding, Ballinger and Southwell for their first starts of the season. The bench saw 2 debutants for the club with Hanna and Duke joing Bailey on the bench.
With Blackbridge starting the game at a tidy pace with a lot of possession it wasnt long before the first chance fell to Hayward who could not quite get his shot on target, this was going to be the tale of the game with chances missed by a number of players. Blackbridge continued to press and with possession create chances and following a number of free kicks, that had come to nothing, Southwell decided to chance his arm from 30 yards out to the right of the penalty area and saw his shot sail over the keeper and into the back of the net, 1-0. This should have been the catalyst for the team to push on and press for more, however, they were to be caught with a sucker punch coming to half-time. From a Blackbridge dead ball, the ball was lost cheaply and Riverside counter-attacked at pace. With Redding forced to close down too high it meant Hill and Hill had to come across leaving gaps in the densive half, a quick ball down the wing and cross saw a free player nip in and score, again for the second week a sloppy bit of play had cost the team a goal.
Halftime came and saw Hill and Southwell demand more in terms of possession and work rate and the chances would come. The chances definitely came but the story of the game is that they were not taken. Redding was replaced by Hanna,for his debut, following a knock and shortly after Bailey replaced Clark to try and inject some fresh pace on the game. Withers and Southwell were still pulling the strings and the back 4 were defending well winning most things in the air and providing an outlet from the back. Price began to create space by running from the back trying to drive the team on. Chances were coming thick and fast with shots coming from the front six but to no avail, the keeper pulled off 2 outstanding saves to deny Blackbridge and then finally a break through. A cross came into the box from yet another dead ball situation and Price rose highest to win the header, the ball was travelling toward goal when inexplicably 2 Riverside players collided and the ball trickled across the line!! Price wheeled away for the goal claiming it, one for the dubious goals panel. 15 mins to go saw Duke bought on for McCarthy to try and provide a more defensive element to the team as they were now under pressure and losing possession to easily.
Again, this goal should have seen Blackbridge push on and score more on but chances again went missing with Hayward, Hanna, Price and Duke having chances to put the game out of reach. With minutes to go as the team tired they were again caught out and Riverside gain had the chance to snatch an unlikely equaliser, this time Ballinger held onto the ball and Blackbridge held on for the win.
Another 3 points but the team are under no illusions that Sunday's result whilst a win was way below the standards expected. A number of times the team were caught out in possession or not tracking players, against more clinical teams this win could have been a draw or a defeat.
Man of Match: D. Hill and M. Price
Donkey: S. Hayward
