Bridlington Town slip to 2-0 loss on the road at Stockton Town

Cameron Painter fired over for the hosts after ten minutes, writes Ben Edwards.

Four minutes later Brid created a great opportunity from a brilliant counter attack. Lewis Dennison found Ali Aydemir, who got himself in a great position but stabbed the ball wide.

Painter elegantly spun past Matty Dixon, but again struck over the bar, this time from range. An Andy Norfolk set-piece was cleared only as far as Ellis Barkworth, whose powerful volley was well saved.

Benn Lewis pulled off an incredible goall-ine block to keep it level, after a home player got past James Hitchcock.

A good block from Jake Martindale saw the ball fall to a Stockton player 20 yards from goal, who forced Hitchcock into a stunning reflex save.

Steven Thompson fizzed an effort wide of Hitchcock’s left post. Thompson then made a good run inside from the left, but fired over.

Barkworth produced a brilliant block to keep it goalless going into half time.

Brid’s heroic defending didn’t stop after the break, as just a minute into the second half they blocked four consecutive home efforts at close range.

Seeing Hitchcock off his line, Thompson unleashed a ridiculous effort from a long way out which flew over the shot-stopper and into the net, but the linesman gave offside. The visitors reacted to nearly going behind well, Martindale’s through-ball excellently finding Sani, but his left-footed effort was well saved.

Painter and Thompson linked up well, the latter unleashing a powerful effort from the 18-yard line, which went just wide. Glen Sani seemed to be the danger man for Brid going forward, as his effort from the edge of the box trickled onto the left post.

The deadlock was broken after an hour, as Kevin Hayes, who was kept quiet up to that point by Lewis, whipped in a cross which found Michael Fowler, the striker heading home to open the scoring.

Hitchcock pulled off another good save two minutes later after a powerful strike from the left, to keep his side in the contest.

With 10 minutes of regular time remaining, a rebound fell to Matty Dixon, but he completely mis-hit it.

Hayes cut the ball back to sub Michael Roberts, but he curled it over from 18 yards. Tom Portas then tried his luck from a similar range, but it was low and wide.

In the first of five added minutes, Fowler struck the post.

In Injury-time, the hosts capitalised on Brid pushing men forwards in search of an equaliser. It was Hayes again with the cross, and Elliott Beddow tapped the ball into the open goal.

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