Bamber Bridge 0-5 Harrogate Railway: Waddecar hat-trick piles misery onto Railway

Ryan Sharrocks in action for Harrogate Railway (Photo: Caught Light Photography)

Railway’s boss was forced into two changes from the side that earned a point at Radcliffe Borough, bringing in Simon Wood and Vincent Dhesi for the injured Stephen Bromley and dual-registered Harry Coates who was required at Harrogate Town.

The visitors could have taken the lead after six minutes when Dhesi found Dan Barrett with an accurate pull-back only for Lee Dovey to deny the striker with his feet.

But Alastair Waddecar gave Bamber the lead after 18 minutes with a stunning strike. He picked up possession 30-yards out and arrowed an unstoppable shot into the top right corner, seconds after Tom Stewart had helf the forward’s fierce shot.

Waddecar’s second was not as spectacular, but well-taken nonetheless, as Stewart’s punched clearance fell to Brig’s number seven who found the bottom corner with a first time volley.

With confidence now flowing through the team, Bamber went close on multiple occasions as Chris Marlow almost turned in Waddecar’s teasing cross before Stewart did well to divert Jamie Milligan’s free kick round the post.

The hosts were then presented with a chance from the spot to go into the break with a three goal lead as Simon Wood’s last ditch tackle was fractionally too late and sent Bamber’s attacker tumbling to the ground.

Milligan placed the penalty confidently to Stewart’s right and underneath the Railway stopper.

Railway are two points away from safety with one game in hand.

Waddecar completed his hat-trick four minutes after the restart as he headed home from a corner.

Railway were lucky not to concede further as Simon Parkes made last ditch tackle before Bamber had a goal chalked off after Matty Kay had found the back of the net with a curling effort, with Stewart’s view severely impeded by an offside attacker.

Bamber claimed their fifth and final goal in the 76th minute when another substitute, Curtis Thompson, latched onto a wayward strike and placed past Stewart.

Dan Barrett came close to restoring some pride for Railway with a superb strike in the final minute of normal time that was matched by an equally special save from Bamber’s stopper.

In the final exchanges, Tom Owen was a fraction away from converting Lawrance Hunter’s cross while Stewart denied Linney finishing off a mazy run at the other end.