Marine’s recent run of defeats continued with a 3-1 Arriva Stadium reverse at the hands of Bradford (Park Avenue) on Tuesday night.
The home side were certainly in the game up to half time with the scores level at 1-1 but were off the pace in the second period, rarely troubling Steve Dickinson in the Avenue goal.
Sporting surely the most fluorescent shirts ever witnessed in Crosby the visitors took the lead on 10 minutes with a fluke goal, Luke Gibbon’s attempted cross dipping over the returning Sean Lake and dropping in to the bottom corner of the net.
Jamie Rainford went on a good run in to the area but could only produce a weak shot before levelling the scores after 16 minutes, Joe McMahon’s header from a corner being parried by Dickinson with the ball falling to Rainford to blast home his eighth goal of the season from close range.
A good Marine move again involving Rainford’s direct running fed Steve Hussey, the Marine captain shooting wide of the target from distance.
Stephen Johnson had a couple of efforts just wide, firstly with a volley from the edge of the area and then with a curling effort beyond the right hand post.
Bradford hadn’t really caused the Marine defence too many problems in the first period but began to do so early in the second, striker Chris Hall winning a number of headers and setting up Aidan Savory to put his side back in to the lead on 58 with a well struck effort from 20 yards.
Sean Lake made a good save from Savory’s tasty chip as the game wore on but it was no real surprise when Avenue added a third goal in the 83rd minute, a deep cross from the right finding Gibbon beyond the far post and his shot deflecting in to the net off Lake’s anatomy.
A disappointing night for Kevin Lynch’s men who now travel to Durham on Saturday in search of a much needed three points.
Marine: Sean Lake, Shaun Callacher (Peter Cumiskey 81), John Shaw, Michael Jackson, Joe McMahon, Joe Fowler, Stephen Brown, Steve Hussey (Cap), Jamie Rainford, Paul Crewe (Kieran Molyneux 59), Stephen Johnson (Dan Barrie 67).
Unused subs: Tony Davies, Tim Dittmer (G/K). Cautions: McMahon, Brown, Hussey.
Bradford (Park Avenue): Steve Dickinson, Steve Downes (Amjad Iqbal 36), Martin Drury, Robbie O’Brien, Chris Stabb, Simon Baldry (Cap), Matty James, Chris Hall, Aidan Savory, Luke Gibbon (Mark Bett 89).
Unused subs: Chris Backhowe, Andy Campbell, John Groome. Cautions: Drury, James.
Referee: Mr. Mark Astley (Denton); Assistants Mr. Stephen Parker (Manchester), Mr. Neil Smitham (Sale).
Attendance: 223.
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