Bamber Bridge 1, Matlock Town 0: New boy Scott Burton scores on debut to get Brig off to a flyer

Brig dominated the ball in the first half but were unable to create any clear cut opportunities, with Callum King-Harmes coming closest.

The game opened up for them in the second half, with Burton’s goal coming after a sustained spell of pressure.

King-Harmes’s effort was in fact the first of the game, the Bolton loanee firing narrowly over the bar from just outside the box.

Isaac Sinclair then almost inadvertently gave the hosts the lead when Matlock goalkeeper Shaun Rowley’s clearance struck him on the back and looped wide of the target.

The closest the visitors came to troubling Brig stopper Danny Roccia in the first half was on 38 minutes, Declan Walker clearing the bar with a long-range effort.

Neither team were able to break the deadlock going into half-time, with Richie Allen having the first chance of the second half on 60 minutes when he forced a good save out of Rowley.

Sinclair then did well to break the offside trap and cut inside, only for Rowley to produce another excellent stop to turn his curling effort around the post.

Brig were then able to make their dominance count on 66 minutes. Richie Allen received the ball on the left with his back to goal, before launching the ball into the area and finding Burton, who calmly volleyed the ball over the ‘keeper.

Jamie Milligan’s men had chances to extend their lead, Matt Dudley forcing another save from Rowley before Danny Forbes’s dipping effort from range hit the top of the net.

Matlock piled the pressure on in the late stages, and Roccia was able to divert Andrew Bond’s effort over the bar with a fingertip save.

Brig cleared the resulting corner, and saw the remainder of the game out to record an excellent opening day win.