Lisnagarvey 2nds 3 v 0 Bangor 2nds

DISAPPOINTING SECOND HALF FOR SECONDS

The seconds travelled to Lisnagarvey’s new state of the art complex in Hillsborough last Saturday afternoon for their Junior One contest against Lisnagarvey seconds.  With the home side having recorded 3 wins to open their league campaign, it was always going to be a difficult ask for the travelling Bangor side.

The first 20 minutes or so the contest was rather scrappy, neither side making any real threats on goal.  Following a couple of Lisnagarvey short corners though midway through the half which came to nothing, the seconds began to impose themselves.  In a 10 minute period just before the half the visitors had 2 or 3 real opportunities to gain an advantage.  First Macafee flashed wide following a foraging run, then Stranaghan really ought to have latched onto a pass from Macafee and shortly after both McNaught and Mulholland saw their efforts go agonisingly wide.  These missed chances were to prove costly in the end, but the Bangor side were unlucky to go into the half time interval without scoring.

The first goal in this match was always going to be an important one, and up until the 48^th minute the visitors game plan was spot on.  However, the home side took the lead when they scored when one of their forwards deflected into the net, Thompson having no chance in the Bangor goal.  This obviously changed the course of the game, the Bangor side having to be more adventurous when they had possession.  Lisnagarvey added a second from a flowing passing movement, although there did seem to be an infringement in the home half on McNaught in the build up, and it was a flattering 3-0 to the home side minutes later following a well worked goal.

Overall the Bangor side were left to rue those missed opportunities in the last 15 minutes of the first half, although there is no doubt the Lisnagarvey side did up a gear in the second period.  The team can take heart though from large chunks of this game when they were more than a match for their more illustrious opponents, who will be right there near the top when this Junior One campaign nears its conclusion next Easter.

The fixtures don’t get any easier for the seconds, next up being 2 back to back fixtures against Annadale seconds, first in the Irish Junior Cup 1^st round this coming Saturday in Bangor, followed by the league fixture the following week.

Player of the match for the seconds on Saturday was Stewart Kirk who put in an excellent performance on his first match back this season following injury.

Team:  Thompson, Irwin, Kirk, McCausland P., Toogood, Macafee, Walker, Scales, Mulholland, McNaught, Stranaghan, McCausland A