Yorkshire Amateur’s stubbornness to concede lasted 85 minutes at Brigg Town, a second goal, in added-time, crafting Ammers’ exit of the League Cup 1st round, 2-1, on Wednesday evening.
Cole Carter’s 10th minute opener looked set to be the winner until five minutes of normal time remaining.
Stephen McCarron’s header found space between Adam Wilson’s fingertips and the crossbar to equalise before former Ammer Reggie Waud squeezed a rebound under Wilson at the near post to send Brigg through.
Waud’s red card followed Ammers’ Rio Korbel’s earlier dismissal to make both sides finish with ten men.
Ammers made seven changes to the side that beat Armthorpe; Rio Korbel and Daniel Owusu making their debuts, Cole Carter recovering from injury alongside returnees Kadeem Morton, Callum Hannigan, Sam Babayale and Jamie Bedford.
As the ball resided in wide areas, albeit in their own half, Ammers looked comfortable defensively in the opening couple of minutes.
Korbel, having almost set Wilfred Frimpong free in the opening minutes, saw his shot from the edge of the box, Ammers’ first opening, also stifled from a block in the centre.
The opening goal was crafted by the visitors and Cole Carter’s precise finish into the bottom right-hand corner. Babayale won the flick on at the near post, the ball dropping to Carter’s feet inside the box, shooting back across goal into the bottom corner.
Adam Wilson’s first touch in Ammers’ goal was to punch a corner clear. The ball was returned wide right for a second attempt, this time the ‘keeper adjudged to have been fouled in his attempts to clear as the ball itself floated towards the goal line.
Bedford’s drag back between two Brigg players disturbed the tired tempo of the game up until the 21st-minute, pulling Ammers, camped in their own half, into advanced territory.
Space was abundant out wide as Frimpong started with possession on the right, passing centrally to
Bedford before he quickly transfered the ball onto the opposite flank to Trewolde. Everything went to plan until Babayale’s attempt to reach Frimpong behind Brigg’s back four with a lofted pass was anticipated.
Frimpong was indeed the path towards goal for Ammers, just after the hour mark he outpaced Callum Sallis and orchestrated a foul from behind.
He was the lone man left out of the defending box for a Brigg corner and raced onto the clearance landing in Brigg’s half. One-on-one, he rounded the ‘keeper but the shot failed to have enough pace to cross the line before being cleared.
Jamie Bedford was wise to the threat caused by the Ammers winger, slotting a pass between centre0-half and full-back and ahead of Frimpong’s run. Running on the outside of Sallis, he got ahead of his marker to shoot low, straight into Miles Fenty’s hands before the break.
Former Ammer Reggie Waud was introduced at half-time for his Brigg debut, immediately using his familiar strength to roll a defender to turn goalward and shoot from the edge of the box, straight at Wilson.
Waud’s entrance supported the initial suggestions Brigg would attack direct from now on. Daniel Trott controlled an aerial ball on 52 minutes to continue towards the edge of the Ammers box, tracked by Morton to force the forward away from goal.
A certain quicker tempo to the second-half almost benefitted Ammers’ pace from wide. Frimpong cut inside and with his shot only parried, Carter followed up only to be called offside.
Trewolde was just out of reach whilst chasing down the right, his final attacking move before moving to left-back as Owusu was replaced by Jose Mboma on 58 minutes.
An opening for Trott came from a pass from deep landing behind The Ammers’ defence. Following the improved speed to the tempo, Trott delayed the shot so much to eventually square a pass to his left which was intercepted by Morton to clear.
The energy after the break tempted centre-half Babayale to attempt an over-head bicycle kick, positioned in the opposition box due to continuous Ammers possession. The flight of the cross was intercepted, setting Brigg to counter but Ammers’ pace was as effective defensively as it was in attack.
Ammers’ time to go direct, Morton to Frimpong, went to plan initially as the winger controlled / first-time passed using his knee into the supporting Carter. The return pass was wayward and forced Frimpong wide to the left. He made the most of it, travelling to the byline, round the outside of Brigg’s defence, crossing low just out of the reach of Carter at the far post.
Korbel fell foul to the increased pace, receiving a red for a second yellow for another challenge, on 74 minutes.
Brigg Centre-half Jacob Norburn was called upon in attack, seeing a header fly over the bar following a corner.
With just three minutes remaining, Brigg finally penetrated Ammers’ block through Stephen McCarron. He too attacked an aerial ball, at the back post, lofting the header over Wilson’s reach and under the bar.
Waud had chance to cement victory for Brigg in added-time, volleying on the half-turn from on top of the penalty spot, hooking the ball straight into Wilson’s grasp.
That he did just minutes later after Wilson pushed the initial shot away to his right. Waud was waiting, albeit forced outwards before turning and squeezing the ball under Wilson at the near post.
Amateur attack the cup again on Saturday, The FA Vase the occasion for Bishop Auckland’s visit to The Southerns Stadium.
Tickets for Bishop Auckland: Adults – £6, Concessions – £4, U16s – £3