Bamber Bridge 1-2 Gainsborough Trinity: Bolton loanee Matthew Argent-Barnes on target as Micky Taylor suffers first home defeat

Bamber Bridge's Bolton loanee Matthew Argent-Barnes celebrates his goal on Tuesday night. Picture: Ruth Hornby

Dominic Roma’s side hit the front just after the hour mark in stunning style, thanks to winger Alex Simmons.

Brig kept plugging away and levelled through loanee Matthew Argent-Barnes with 10 minutes to play, only for the visitors to regain their lead seconds later courtesy of their captain, Shane Clarke.

Chances were few and far between in a tight 45 minutes, but the first sniff of goal fell to Brig’s No.9 Stuart Vasey, who saw his volley from close range palmed away after nice link-up with Alistair Waddecar.

Chris Churchman goes for goal. Picture: Ruth Hornby

With 20-minutes gone Matt Dudley took aim from distance and almost caught Jonathan Stewart off guard, with his strike swinging just wide of the top corner.

As the half wore on both sides remained solid, but Gainsborough did go close seconds before half-time when Alex Byrne’s effort deflected and forced Lloyd Rigby into a smart reaction save.

And just after the restart Byrne really ought to have fired the away side ahead, but he sliced over Simmons’ cross from a matter of yards out, with the net at his mercy.

Down the other end, the hosts had a great chance to open the scoring themselves, but Stewart saved Dudley’s stinging drive well after Waddecar had pulled the ball back for the Brig No.10.

With 65 minutes gone, up stepped Simmons to produce a moment of sheer class and break the deadlock.

The winger cut inside from the right and unleashed a beauty of a left-footed curling effort into the top corner, leaving Rigby motionless in the goal.

Waddecar then had a penalty shout turned down and Danny Forbes headed over seconds later.

However, Argent-Barnes did then find an equaliser for Micky Taylor’s men.

Adam Dodd did well to swing the low cross in from the left and in snuck Argent-Barnes to guide the ball home with a delicate, but telling touch.

So it was a real sucker-punch for the hosts to then have to pick the ball out of their own net less than two minutes later.

Byrne swung the free-kick to the back-post, Nathan Stainfield headed across goal and there was Clarke to tap home into the open net.

Brig rallied and went in search of a second equaliser, but Gainsborough defended their lead and proved to tough to break down as the visitors ran out winners at the Sir Tom Finney Stadium.