Train ticket (Manchester-Preston): £11-60
Entry: £7
Programme: £1-50
Raffle: £1
Tea: 80p
Oxo: £1
Hot chocolate: £2-25
Total: £25-15
Irongate is a magnificient name for a football ground, so I was looking forward to today's visit to Bamber Bridge on the outskirts of Preston. With the help of a newly-purchased Lancashire A-Z, I discovered that there was a cycle track which ran almost all the way between Preston station and the ground. I set off on the 3-mile walk with plenty of time to spare, and thought this could be a pleasant stroll with spring on the way. How wrong I was! Crossing over the River Ribble heading south, I was enveloped in icy rain and a vicious wind. I was glad I'd brought my hoodie and waterproof to cope with these type of conditions. After a while the wild weather calmed down, and I was able to enjoy the chilly walk a bit more.
I arrived at the ground at about 2.40ish, and joined a short queue to part with the £7 entry fee. Almost immediately as I went through the turnstile and down a couple of terraces, I was accosted by a man selling raffle tickets. I saw no harm in parting with a £1, and had change from the turnstile, so thought it worth a punt. I've never won a raffle so maybe my luck would change today.
I settled down with a cup of tea in the main stand, which ran along the right-hand side of the pitch as you entered the ground. The ground was a curious mix of modern and what I might call 'classic' features. I'm no architect and I guess there are more correct technical terms but there you go! The main stand seemed relatively modern, with the front row of seats elevated about 6 foot from the floor. This gave the feeling of this being a bigger stand than it actually was I suspect. A couple of older terraces round around the corner of the far goal, while the rest of the ground was pretty much uncovered (apart from the small area near the turnstiles). As I sipped my tea, I heard a group of blokes behind me chatting about various North-West non-league clubs. I wasn't sure whether they were home/away fans, or fellow ground-hoppers, and was even more confused when I heard an Australian accent in the mix!
Today's game was a crucial one for Bamber Bridge who were pushing for a top-5 finish and a play-off place. New Mills lay in 19th position, so this should theoretically be a straightforward win for the home side. Bamber Bridge started brightly, and after an excellent move on the right, Curtis Thompson rattled the post inside 10 minutes. They continued to attack and command possession, with New Mills content to sit and counterattack. As so often happens in these situations, the away side scored against the run of play when Raducio King slotted home after a swift piece of counter-attacking. The response from the home team was to attack even more, wih Tom Williams forcing a tipped save from Collinge in the away goal. Shortly after, the lively Thompson was brought down in the New Mills area, and the referee pointed to the spot. It looked like a certain equaliser - and so, of course, Collinge managed to block Waddecar's penalty with his feet. This was turning out to be a very strange game indeed. The day got even stranger when I queued up for a half-time oxo, and noticed ice cream on the menu at the tea bar! You'd have to be a real masochist to want ice cream on a chilly day like today.
Bamber Bridge came out looking strong, and like they really wanted (and needed) this win. There was a sense of urgency all over the pitch, and this was rewarded when Alex Taylor nicked a goal to make it 1-1 on 50 minutes. Marlow forced another save from Collinge, and it looked like this was going to be a one-sided second half. Things were shaken up again when Phil Doughty was sent off (apparently for preventing a goal-scoring opportunity). For a spell, New Mills looked like they could nick a goal, and get something from the game. Michael Smith missed a sitter when clean through, and had a free-kick saved shortly after. This seemed to galvanise the play-off chasers into action, and Matty Kay's drilled shot was saved again by Collinge (he'd had a busy day!). The game was starting to turn ugly, and New Mills' Melford Knight was booked for a late tackle as Bamber Bridge started to turn the screw. It looked like they could end up being frustrated until Alex Taylor planted a header into the net on 82 minutes. This was a huge win for the home side, who were now serious contenders for a play-off spot. Maybe next year, they'll be playing Evostik Premier football here? And maybe one day somebody will actually order ice cream from the tea bar?!
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