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Bangor got their season off to a winning, if
unspectacular, start on Saturday when they beat Civil Service 3-1 in the
Kirk Cup.
While they never set the pulse racing they did see off the awkward east
Belfast side and finished much the stronger in the second half.
Despite missing several players through injury and holidays the side can
take some positives but new coach Robbie McMinn will feel there is still a
lot of work to be done on the training pitch.
Bangor could so easily have finished the game off by half-time were it not
for some rusty finishing from the forwards and a malfunctioning penalty
corner routine. As it was, they went into the break level with a team they
had dominated for much of the half.
The opening goal came midway through the first period when one of several
penalty corners yielded a result. By that stage several chances had
already been squandered.
The penalty corner appeared to break down but some improvisation by
Michael Harte led to him eventually getting a shot in that was kicked off
the line, giving Bangor a penalty stroke. Last season's top scorer Adam
Reading stepped up and confidently fired home from the spot to open this
year's account.
More chances went a begging and Bangor were made to pay when Civil Service
struck back just before the break from their first penalty corner. Peter
Johnston's initial shot was deflected and the already grounded goalkeeper
John Tormey could do nothing as it looped over him.
After regrouping at half-time Bangor came out stronger after the break and
put Civil Service under a great deal of pressure down the right flank.
Mark Lappin was making good ground on the right and there was very little
surprise when the goal came from another move on that side of the pitch.
The ball was played into the circle and Stephen McLean, not normally a
prolific goalscorer, was on hand to calmly beat his man and drive a superb
shot into the bottom right corner. Two-one ahead and this clearly relaxed
the home side.
Yet more chances were created with Gareth Morton going close and Reading
testing the Civil Service goalkeeper from a few more set-pieces. The final
goal came close to the end when a Morton shot was saved and Simon Hunter
brought down the rebound and fired it back past the goalkeeper with
interest.
A 3-1 win was about all Bangor deserved against hard-working opponents but
there will have to be a big improvement before they meet Cookstown in what
is likely to be the group decider, with a semi-final place at stake.
This Saturday Portadown come to Ballykillare and Bangor need another win
and better performance as they continue to build up to the league season.
The game is at 2.30pm. |