BRIG STRIKE LATE ON AS SHIELDS FALTER
FINLAY Sinclair-Smith scored an incredible 25-yard free-kick in stoppage time to give Bamber Bridge a win over league leaders South Shields.
Paul Dawson gave the hosts the lead 14 minutes in, before Dylan Mottley-Henry equalized for the Mariners.
The tide looked to be turning against the Brig when Nathan Pond was sent off with 20 minutes left, but Sinclair-Smith’s effort gave Jamie Milligan’s side all three points.
Speaking after the game, Milligan said: “I thought overall we deserved to win the game today. In the first half, we played some really good football and showed what we are all about.
“The sending off killed our momentum and we had to change the system, but a little bit of magic from Fin Sinclair-Smith won us the game.
“The most important thing for me was the way we won the game and how the lads battled and gave it their all.”
The visitors had the first chance of the match, forward Darius Osei forcing a save from Felix Goddard in the Brig goal.
Brig had their first opportunity on nine minutes, with Dawson firing into the side netting from a tight angle.
Dawson then opened the scoring for the hosts five minutes later, receiving a short corner before placing a first-time effort into the bottom corner.
Shields almost levelled when captain Robert Briggs hit the post on 35 minutes, before Goddard pushed Mackenzie Heaney’s 25-yard effort over the bar shortly before half-time.
After the interval, it was the league leaders who scored the second goal, substitute Mottley-Henry finding the bottom corner following a cutback.
Brig then went down to 10 men, with the referee showing Pond a red card for a foul.
But they almost restored their lead eight minutes later, with Luke Mariette unleashing an effort which narrowly cleared the crossbar from 20 yards.
And when Sinclair-Smith was tripped 25 yards out from the goal, Brig’s number 11 stepped up himself and curled the ball into the top corner, sparking wild scenes among the home fans.
STAR MAN: Luke Mariette (Bamber Bridge) ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★