|
HOME LOSS FOR BANGOR
Bangor
missed the boat on Saturday when they lost 3-2 to Cookstown in the sort of
game a side in their position must win.
In the season's first league game Bangor travelled to Cookstown and a
contentious umpiring decision swung the game away from them and they lost
convincingly. This time things were much closer but they only have
themselves to blame.
Three times Cookstown took the lead and Bangor could only claw them back
twice despite many neutrals' observation that they deserved something from
the game. The side kept giving the ball away unnecessarily and must
improve on their basics before the Annadale Anderson Cup tie this week.
Even before Cookstown took the lead midway through the first half Bangor
had another umpiring scare when a shot flying wide hit Adam Reading's foot
yet a penalty stroke was awarded. Goalkeeper John Tormey comfortably saved
the poor effort from Ewan Butler but wasn't able to keep a clean sheet for
long.
Just minutes later the reprieve was forgotten when the ball was driven
into the Bangor circle by Andy Barbour and Peter Marlin was allowed to
turn and advance on Tormey's goal unimpeded. His marker in the Bangor
defence chose a poor moment to drop his stick and standing unarmed he
could do nothing as Marlin lifted the ball over Tormey and into the goal.
Although Bangor bounced back almost immediately with an equaliser, they
were not at their most fluent. Passes were going astray and runners
weren't being tracked back as Cookstown always looked dangerous with their
pacy forwards.
The equaliser came from Bangor's second penalty corner when Adam Reading
took responsibility from the top of the circle and flicked the ball high
into the net.
Parity didn't last long as Gareth Cuddy took a leaf from Reading's book
and from another set-piece flicked the ball into the same corner at the
other end of the pitch.
In the second half the Seasiders improved slightly and, after a rocky
start where Tormey yet again came to his side's rescue, clawed their way
back into the game. Consistent pressure started to build on Cookstown and
it told when a poor challenge by Marlin on Michael Harte saw him
sin-binned.
Bangor used this man advantage and stretched the visitors. The reward came
when Reading surprised everyone by popping up in the opposition circle to
deflect home a superb Alistair McVicar cross and make it 2-2.
When they should have used their superiority and kicked on in search of a
winner Bangor's errors again cost them as they conceded a third. The ball
was lost on Bangor's left and after good work by Barbour the returning
Marlin was left unmarked at the top of the circle to shot past an
unprotected Tormey.
In the closing 10 minutes Bangor threw everything at Cookstown with
Reading and Mark Daniel both going close from penalty corners but finding
Ian Hughes in good form in the visitors goal.
The energetic Chris Campbell also tested Hughes after a lung-busting run
down the left wing but it clearly wasn't Bangor's day and they fell to
another disappointing league defeat.
This week the first will visit Annadale in the Anderson Cup hoping to play
themselves back into form against the side that so cruelly robbed them of
a place in the Kirk Cup final just week's ago. The game is at Lough Moss
Leisure Centre in Carryduff at 2.30pm.
|