ACCRINGTON & DISTRICT COMBINATION DIVISION ONE: Enfield FC 4 Hyndburn Bridge FC 0

Hyndburn Bridge finished fourth from bottom of the Second Division last season so it came as something of a surprise to the Hyndburn Bridge boss when his club was asked to fill a void in the top flight.

Beswick will be the first to admit he had certain reservations during the pre-season friendlies that his side may not be up to the challenge. Well they don't come much tougher than Enfield and, to Beswick's relief, the boys from the Hyndburn Bridge did themselves and their manager justice, despite the scoreline.

In fact they almost took the lead in sensational style when Chris Bariantos flicked the ball on to Stuart Claula and his acrobatic overhead kick flew just wide of the post.

Claula looked a real handful in the opening minutes and Enfield's central defenders Pete Dudley and Duncan Howard needed to be on top of their game to keep the lively Bridge attack in check.

But Enfield aren't the League champions for nothing and slowly but surely they found both their rhythm and openings in the Bridge defence. Their most promising attack involving Tony Howarth and Mick Jackson, set up Rob Renshaw and his powerful shot on the turn beat keeper John Collier and the bar by a whisker.

Rather than being overawed, Bridge hit back and should have taken the lead when first a cross from Paul Jones opened up a scoring chance for Stephen Turner who screwed his shot wide. Then Claula side-stepped Enfield keeper Trevor Hanson, only to miss the target from six yards out with an open goal beckoning. These misses proved costly and within seconds the ball was knocked upfield and Enfield were in front. Rob Renshaw collected the ball on the edge of the box and hit a delightful long, looping shot that gave the back pedalling Collier no chance.

Ten minutes later in the 43rd minute Enfield went 2-0 up Hyndburn's sweeper Keith Jones, lost possession just inside his own half to Steve Wilson. Wilson wasted no time waltzing past two defenders and hammered a shot, low into the bottom left hand corner of Collier's goal.

Claula almost pulled one back when he broke free inside the box, but Hanson having seen the danger and raced off his line and cleared the ball off the striker's toes with his foot.

After the break Enfield maintained the pressure and good efforts from Wilson, Jackson and Renshaw all went close. But any thoughts that Hyndburn Bridge were down and out, were soon dispelled when Warren Donnelly beat two defenders and rolled a great ball into the path of Chris Smith on the edge of the box.

Smith hit a thunderous, first-time shot that shaved the paintwork of the bar before parting what's left thee days of Trevor Hanson's hair.

Indeed, it took a somewhat fortunate goal in the 66th minute to increase Enfield's lead. A throw-in on the left from Darren Potter found Mick Jackson, whose powerful header could only be helped over the line by Stephen Turner.

At this stage Enfield introduced a young man by the name of Jay Elasham and demonstrated their strength in depth. Elasham, full of running and enthusiasm, revitalised a somewhat flagging Enfield attack and capped a great 20 minute spell with a sparkling goal in the 76th minute. A Darren Potter cross found Mick Jackson and his header fell to the eager Elasham who confidently drove the ball home from 12 yards.

Hyndburn Bridge's Derek Nellany was desperately unlucky not to crown what had been an excellent game from him with a goal in the dying seconds, when his powerful downward header beat Hanson only to bounce clear of the crossbar.

That seemed to sum it up. Without taking anything away from Enfield who at times demonstrated the craft and skill that won them the Championship last season, Hyndburn Bridge can feel unlucky not to have had a couple of goals themselves and any other team in the league who feel this side is going to the season's soft one, had better think again.

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