Bangor 2nds 1 v 3 Banbridge 2nds

BANN TOO STRONG FOR SECONDS

The seconds welcomed league leaders Banbridge seconds to Bangor Sportsplex last Friday evening, a fixture that was always going to require a high level performance from the home side.  Unfortunately it was the visitors who prevailed thanks to a 3-1 victory, leaving them in pole position for the Junior League One title.

It could have been so different had the Bangor side taken the lead within the first 60 seconds of the contest.  A flowing move down the right culminated in a fierce strike from McNaught, which was somehow deflected wide by Baird in the visitors goal.  The match was still fairly even when Banbridge took the lead midway through the half, scoring from a rebound at a short corner.  This gave the league leaders increased confidence and they began to dominate more in terms of possession.  Some resolute defending, particularly from McCausland in the home defence, kept the visiting forwards at bay.

The second period began at the same frantic pace.  The home side were playing their part and did cause problems with their direct running and close marking, but all too often passes were going astray.  Banbridge doubled their lead early in the second half, again from a short corner, and Gareth Stranaghan’s charges now had it all to do.  To their credit, they fought back, winning numerous short corners awards and creating other opportunities from open play.  Indeed Kirk had the ball in the net for the seconds, but the umpire had just blown for a prior infringement.  It was then 3-0 when after another flowing move, Thompson was beaten by another attempt on his goal.  The Bangor custodian had previously made a couple of excellent saves to deny the talented Banbridge frontline, teenagers Ward and Reay.  The seconds got their consolation goal when Stranaghan pounced on a rebound after Clarke had been thwarted by Baird once again.  There was still 15 minutes on the clock when this goal went in, and whilst various chances were created during this final quarter by the seconds, there was no way back.

All in all, the seconds found their opponents just that little bit quicker and sharper on the night, but it was a closely contested fixture and there were some good individual performances.  Stewart Kirk was tireless in midfield in his first full match for a while, Phil McCausland was sharp at the back but the man of the match for the home side was Simon Scales whose workrate and running was creditable throughout.  A speedy recovery to Jeremy Macafee who went over on his ankle midway through the second half.

Thanks to Graeme Laird and Dave McClune for umpiring.

Team:  Thompson, Gowdy, McMillen, McCausland P., Toogood, Scales, Kirk, Macafee, Clarke, McNaught, Stranaghan, Mulholland, Tweed, Kerrigan.