CDG dent Bridges' title hopes

But both teams looked a little leg weary after a bruising schedule of three games in six days.

Bridges started brightly enough and Brannon O’Neill created two decent chances in the first ten minutes. Nathan Crabb dragged the first one wide and Connor French saw his effort blocked well by Seb Bos.

But the Anvils got into their stride and it needed a good save with his feet by Kieron Thorp to deny the gangly but effective Oli Leslie. Bridges continued to keep the home defence busy with Lee Hall seeing a shot blocked after tremendous determination to keep the attack alive by George Gaskin, Liam Collins seeing an effort deflected over the bar and Gaskin’s volley being held by Bos after a lovely through ball from Hall.

But the home side almost snatched a goal themselves when excellent play by Leslie ended with a cross to Sam Cane which was somehow smothered away. And the half ended with a surging strong run by French which was well saved by Bos.

The second half started pretty much the same way with French’s angled drive being palmed away by Bos, but after that it became a matter of defences coping well with the sporadic half chances that fell the way of both sides. It became naturally a bit fractious at times, but the only notable instances apart from a few cautions were a Dan Sullivan free kick that Thorp easily held and a speculative effort by Ben Bacon that went wide of the far post.

Aerotron Man of the Match – Nathan Simpson.

C.Down: S.Bos; C.Baston; J.Martin; W.Peauroux; M.Pelling; J.Day (S.Packham, 42); D.Sullivan (B.Wilson, 78); M.Belli; S.Cane (L.Thomas, 75); O.Leslie; M.Spence.

Unused Sub. – B.Wraight.

Booked – Sullivan (52); Belli (55); Peauroux (90).

Bridges: K. Thorp; L. Collins; N.Simpson (B.Bacon, 83); L.Hall; B.Peters; J.Crellin; N.Crabb; J.Grant; C.French; B.O’Neill (J.Lansdale, 70); G.Gaskin (D.Siaw, 90+3).

Unused Subs. – M.Whitehead; N.Koo Boothe.

Booked – Crabb (52); French (90); Bacon (90+4).