It’s two games at the Hudgell Solicitor Stadium in as many weeks for Bridlington Town, who will look forward to taking on Cleethorpes Town, on Saturday at 3pm.
Saturday’s visitors have had a long break from league action due to a run of cup games, having last played in the Northern Premier League on Monday 28th August. That ended in a 2-1 defeat away from home against North Ferriby.
Three games in cup competitions followed to kick start September for Cleethorpes, starting with an FA Cup First Qualifying Round tie against Hinckley LRFC. A 2-1 home victory meant progression into the next round for the Owls, where they would play National League North side Alfreton Town on Saturday 16th September.
Unfortunately, due to Cleethorpes’ FA Cup progression, Bridlington Town vs Cleethorpes Town was forced to be postponed as it was also scheduled for 16th September. In the Second Qualifying Round, Cleethorpes fell to a 4-2 defeat at home to the Step 2 opposition.
Between the two FA Cup games, Cleethorpes travelled to Hanley Town in the FA Trophy First Qualifying Round, losing 2-0. On the same day, Bridlington Town also had an FA Trophy trip, though to Prescot Cables. They were defeated 4-0 in Merseyside by a very strong Prescot team.
Following both sides’ exits from this season’s FA Trophy, Bridlington and Cleethorpes both had a free Saturday on 23rd, and as such the league game was rearranged.
As for Saturday’s hosts, they suffered their first home defeat of the season, and it was a comprehensive one. Top-of-the-table Belper Town continued their flawless away form, beating the Seasiders 5-1.
The Nailers went 2-0 ahead inside 20 minutes, but allowed Bridlington back into the game when Lewis Dennison scored his first goal of the season to make it 2-1 at the end of a fairly even first half.
However, Belper showed their class in the second half, sinking the Seasiders with three goals. Adrian Costello’s side will now look to bounce back with the back-to-back home games, and restore the excellent home form the Bridlington Town faithful have been used to this campaign.
The defeat saw Bridlington drop four places in the Northern Premier League East, now occupying 15th with 7 points from as many games.
Cleethorpes, though, are three places further down the table, just one above the relegation zone. It is important to note that, due to their cup commitments they have played two fewer games and only have two less points.
The Owls only league win of the season came on the opening day of the season, when they picked up a 3-0 away victory against Liversedge FC.
Cleethorpes enjoyed plenty of success against Bridlington Town last season, having won both fixtures. It was a comfortable 3-0 victory at Queensgate in March, whilst the reverse fixture was a lot closer - ending 1-0 back in September 2022.
Similarly, Cleethorpes won both games in the previous season, thus Bridlington Town are yet to pick up a point against the Owls since gaining promotion to the Northern Premier League in 2021.
The last Bridlington Town victory against Cleethorpes came in the 2016/17 season, where Nicky McNamara and Joel Sutton’s goals secured a 2-0 victory.
A return to Queensgate is possible for two Cleethorpes players, as former Bridlington Town duo Will Annan and Leon Dawson are both now amongst the Owls’ roster. Annan is the Cleethorpes top scorer so far this campaign with four goals.
In the other camp, Bridlington captain James Williamson had a brief stint at Cleethorpes at the start of last season before joining the Seasiders.
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