MATCH PREVIEW: Tough Trophy tie to end a difficult week

It has been a testing week for the club – on and off the pitch.

A severely depleted first team squad suffered their heaviest defeat of the season at Stockton Town on Wednesday and during the journey along the A66, club officials learned of the shock passing of former chairman, Dale Brotherton. 

Dale’s response to such a heavy defeat would have probably been, “There is always the next game to put matters right,” and Reds have to adopt that approach for Saturday’s encounter v. Bamber Bridge (3pm) in the First Round of the FA Trophy.

Squad numbers will be down again, although better than Wednesday, but, regardless, the show has to go on.

Reds’ last two games have produced five goals – a competitive encounter which we were unlucky to lose by a late goal at Hyde then the 5-0 drubbing on Teesside when we hardly laid a glove on a more than useful Stockton side.

There is no magic wand to rectify problems on the pitch but if our approach is similar to last Saturday we give ourselves a chance.

‘Brig also conceded five goals to Stockton recently and, like Reds, have suffered from inconsistency throughout the campaign.

Last month, the Preston side won by the odd goal in three at Borough Park thanks to first half goals from Lucas Weaver and Jeff Adubofour and, although Dav Symington reduced the arrears, it was ‘Brig who claimed the points.

It will be the twentieth meeting between the two clubs, in all competitions, and we have managed just five wins in the series compared to the eleven victories Bamber Bridge have recorded.

The only previous encounter in the Trophy was at Borough Park back in the 1996-97 season when ‘Brig, then in the Premier Division, inflicted a 5-2 reverse on First Division Reds.

Prize money for the winners is £3,000 with the losers receiving £775.