BAMBER Bridge's title hopes have been given a potentially serious blow after UniBond league chiefs insisted they play a postponed match on a Tuesday.

Brig face playing Whitby Town on Tuesday, March 23, after the game was postponed at the weekend due to a waterlogged pitch at the Turnbull ground.

The round trip to Whitby, club officials estimate, is the best part of five hours.

And with most of the players holding down full-time day jobs, Brig could be down to a skeleton squad for a match in which the Irongate outfit need three points if they are to cling on to the top spot in the UniBond.

And there was more bad news for the club this week as they crashed out of the ATS Trophy semi-final against Conference side Morecambe on Tuesday.

Despite going 2-0 up through goals from Peter Borrowdale and Stuart Cliff, Morecambe managed to rack three away to ensure Brig's exit from yet another cup.

This Saturday, Brig travel to Blyth Spartans, again knowing they need three points if they want to hang on to the top spot.

Gateshead have raced into second place, just one point behind Brig, having played the same number of games - 33.

Altrincham are behind them, trailing Brig by two points, but have five games in hand.

Brig will be without two players this weekend.

Midfielder Neil Reynolds looks set to miss the game after collecting a one match ban for his string of cautions, while striker Ian Vickers will miss two games after accumulating 11 yellows this season!

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