Milligan pops up with winner after Brad blow

Brig edged the game 3-2, but it was marred by serious head injury to centre forward Brad Carsley, who left the stadium in an ambulance after colliding with the concrete perimeter fence.

The first half started with Brig attacking towards the Clubhouse End, and within the first two minutes they almost took the lead when Danny Forbes got on the end of an in swinging free kick, but the keeepr tipped it over.

In the fifth minute, Brighouse Town took the lead when they broke down the left wing, as a low cross in to the middle was met by Aaron Martin, who slotted the ball home.

The Bamber Bridge equaliser arrived in the 12th minute.

A superb reverse pass from Daniel Mooney found Matt Dudley in the six yard box, and as he swivelled on the ball, he was brought down. Michael Potts stepped up and calmly sent the keeper the wrong way.

But Brig were rocked by the injury to Carsley in the 15th minute.

Carsley raced towards the byeline, and the ensuing challenge sent him hurtling towards the concrete perimeter fence, which he collided with, head first.

The referee saw the incident and immediately signalled for attention.

Carsley was put into the recovery position and the medical staff awaited the ambulance, which arrived within eight minutes. Carlsey was carefully moved onto a stretcher with a neck brace and taken to hospital.

The game resumed with a Bamber Bridge free kick after a 25-minute delay but the injury seemed to have an effect on all the players, as the rest of the half was played out with very little incident.

The second half started with Brig on the front foot. A Regan Linney effort was blocked on the line, but Brighouse responded and regained the lead on 56 minutes as Nat Brown rose above the pack to nod home.

Lloyd Rigby then pulled off another fine save to prevent the visitors increasing the lead, as Brig manager Neil Reynolds made changes on the hour, firstly bringing on Milligan for Danny Forbes, followed by Chris Marlow for Dan Mooney.

With just five minutes remaining, Milligan turned the game on its head.

He spotted the Brighouse keeper off his line, and from the centre circle, launched an audacious shot that sailed over the keeper and into the back of the net.

Brig had their tails up, and in the 91st minute they were awarded a free kick just outside the penalty area.

Milligan stepped up to smash a screamer around the wall and in off the post, as the keeper dived to his left.

Brig now face a trip to Ashton Athletic in the first qualifying round.

Bamber Bridge: Rigby, Mahoney, Dodd, Lawlor (c), Doughty, Potts, Waddecar, Forbes (Milligan 60), Carsley (Linney 15) Dudley, Mooney (Marlow 60).