Bridlington continue promotion march

BRIDLINGTON continued their promotion march with a 4-1 win at Lincoln Moorlands Railway in the Northern Counties East League Premier Division.

Town struggled in the first half but turned it round after the interval, the key moment being a 62nd- minute penalty harshly given against Moorlands.

With both Armthorpe and Rainworth dropping vital points it turned out to be a good day at the office and tomorrow's encounter between these two could further Town's Championship aspirations.

Brid took an 11th- minute lead when Alex Rhodes hit a fine shot with the outside of his foot from the edge of the penalty area after Danny Brunton and Ash Allanson had worked the ball into the middle.

Seven minutes later the scores were level with Ben Good being given time and space to play in Tom Garrick whose strike deflected off Ash Dexter and wrong-footed Mark Wilberforce.

Bridlington came back into it and keeper Ayden Duffy blocked shots from Brunton and Towler, while Allanson saw a 25-yard effort go just wide.

Minutes before the interval the referee's assistant noticed an off the ball incident by Garrick on Brunton and Garrick became the first player to go into the referee's notebook.

Town had an anxious moment at the start of the second half when a high ball from Jack McGovern almost sneaked in under the bar but Wilberforce collected it at the second attempt.

Brunton did well to win his side's first corner of the game after 54 minutes then two minutes later following another corner Town took the lead via a header from Wayne Wallace.

With 62 minutes gone the game was more or less put to bed when a referee's assistant flagged for a debatable handball against Jack Cotton and after consultation the referee awarded a penalty and cautioned Adam Buckley and Ryan Creane for their protestations.

Ash Allanson was unfazed by the delay and hit the ball past Duffy from the spot.

Three minutes later came three substitutions Josh Schofield and Lee Beesley replacing captain David Frecklington and Simon Mowbray for Lincoln, while Hogg was introduced at the expense of Towler for the Seasiders.

Hogg's game lasted only 12 minutes as he injured his knee while challenging for a ball with Duffy and despite trying to continue for a few minutes was eventually withdrawn and Mountford came on in defence with Harrison moving into midfield.

Adam Gilbert who had earlier come on for Scott Lowman became the fourth Lincoln player to be booked for a challenge on Brunton.

With the comfort of a two-goal cushion Town started to play the ball about confidently and five minutes before the end Burdick got up to Allanson's cross ahead of Duffy and headed home despite the vain attempts to keep the ball out by two defenders on the goal line.

Bridlington Town: Wilberforce, Harrison, Dexter (capt.), Allanson, Lee, Giblin, Hotte, Brunton, Towler (Hogg 65) (Mountford 78), Wallace, Rhodes (Burdick 56).