Bangor fifths played against last years closest rivals Portrush thirds at Ballyk on Saturday and claimed a good 6-2 win.

Portrush started the season very well but have found results more difficult to come by of late. Prior to push back both teams respected a minutes silence in respect to Gareth Callender.

 

Portrush played with four men in midfield in an attempt to flood the middle of the pitch and control the game, but captain Mitchell saw this and went like for like, pushing Patrick McAlister into the midfield. This made the play very congested and mostly through the middle, giving little to the wide men. Things did not look good as the visitors won a succession of short corners, these were all mopped up by fearless defender Allan Stevenson, and the deadlock was broken on the counter when Gerry Hamill blasted past the keeper from a seemingly impossible angle.

Gerry then turned provider, from the home teams second short corner, Mark Campbell hammered a shot in low beating the keeper at the near post to round up the scoring in the first half. Michael Ferguson and Adam Douglas went close and were unlucky not to score.

 

2-0 at half time wasn’t a lead that guaranteed the win, and the fifths set out for more goals in the second half. Looking to make more use of the wide men.

Mark Campbell grabbed his fifth of the season early on, then Harper was set up for his first, again Hamill the provider. Harper then went on, his second is open to debate, a predators instinctive finish or plain stealing a goal, undecided, Paul Scott hammered the ball goalward and Harper deflected it in, off the post. When Simon was questioned he said, “ It was definitely going in, but I made sure, it’s my goal”. Portrush then capitalised on uncharacteristic errors from McAlister and Stevenson to make it 5-2. The scoring wasn’t finished there, obviously Harper hadn’t given up, as no longer can he only score two in a match, he grabbed his hat trick to make it 6-2 Murray this time with the assist.

Man of the Match was unanimous, Gerry, pacemaker “you’ll never run alone”, Hamill after a masterful, unselfish performance on the right wing.

Many thanks to Chris Harte for umpiring the graveyard shift.