Five star Scarborough Athletic storm to Bamber Bridge success

Scarborough Athletic stormed to a comprehensive 5-0 hammering of Bamber Bridge as striker James Walshaw slammed in hat-trick in a one-sided encounter.
Boro 5-0 Bamber BridgeBoro 5-0 Bamber Bridge
Boro 5-0 Bamber Bridge

Boss Darren Kelly was forced into one change from his side’s 1-0 win at former club Hyde United last week as Isaac Assenso missed out through a knee injury, with Wayne Brooksby coming in at left wing-back and Josh Barrett switching to the back three.

New signing Luke Porritt, who joined from Ossett United on Friday, was on the Boro bench.

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Boro played into a howling wind as Storm Dennis swept across the Flamingo Land Stadium but the hosts almost took an early lead when Ryan Watson’s free-kick found Barrett, but he could only drag his effort wide.

Bamber had a series of set-pieces that came to nothing, Tommy Taylor relatively untroubled in the Boro goal.

The deadlock was broken when Michael Coulson’s near-post drive was saved by Bridge keeper Danny Roccia and the resulting corner was bundled in from close range by Walshaw.

It was soon 2-0 to the home side, a neat move saw Coulson played in on goal and Roccia crudely brought him down.

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The Boro skipper dusted himself down to slot home from the spot and double his side’s advantage.

Watson was busy in the centre of the park and after he won the ball off an opponent, he fed Thomson, who in turn threaded a neat through-ball to Coulson, who was denied by a low stop from Roccia.

Bamber had a couple of opportunities just before the interval, first a curling free-kick was guided over at the back post before Watson gave away a silly free-kick 35 yards out and Rowan Roache tested Taylor’s palms with a low drive that bounced awkwardly in front of him.

Boro would’ve been pleased with their half-time lead having played into a stiff wind, and they must’ve been further buoyed when they re-emerged for the second half and Storm Dennis had intensified, bringing even stronger gusts and driving rain.

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A chaotic opening 10 minutes ensued as Bamber foolishly kept hammering the ball high into the air for it only to return in the wind.

Coulson should’ve done better when Kian Spence dragged the ball back for him, but he skewed his effort well wide before Boro thought they’d made it 3-0 when a Bamber player bizarrely directed the ball high into his own net past Roccia, only for the referee to give the bewildered visitors a free-kick.

Boro weren’t to be denied for much longer though, Watson directing a superb low drive into the bottom corner past the helpless Roccia to make it 3-0.

Three soon became four when yet more poor Bamber defending allowed the unmarked Walshaw to head in at the back post to make it 4-0.

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alshaw soon wrapped up his hat-trick as Boro, who were now rampant, attacked down their left and the striker dinked a precise effort over the advancing Roccia and into the bottom corner.

The Boro striker should then have made it 6-0 after he was brought down in the box, but his tame penalty was easily saved by Roccia.

Watson was next to spurn a glorious chance as he drove wide, but the damage had been done though and Boro were good value for their 5-0 victory.