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On the day of the Club Dinner, Bangor Seconds hosted
Cookstown Seconds at Ballykillaire in the 4 o'clock slot.
After the recent poor run of results, the hope was for an improvement in
fortunes for the Bangor team who fielded a very strong squad.
Unfortunately this was not to be, Cookstown running out 5-2 winners.
The early exchanges in the match saw Bangor take the advantage, however,
Thompson in the Bangor net was called upon to make a number of smart saves
when Cookstown counter-attacked.
After 6 minutes, McAfee departed on a solo run down the right hand side of
the pitch and along the goal line to slot past the keep 1-0 to Bangor.
Bangor continued to attack and after 9 minutes Cookstown forced a penalty
corner. Thompson made a fine double save which lead to a quick Bangor
break. McClune finding Clarke, however, a fine Cookstown tackle stopped
the Bangor captain in his tracks. With 12 minutes played, the Cookstown
number 10 burst into the Bangor circle only to be unlawfully impeded by
Irwin and McCausland. The resulting penalty flick was converted, leaving
the scores at 1 a piece.
McAfee and McClune constantly surged forward from the Bangor mid field.
After 15 minutes, Germany McAfee found himself free and blasted a shot
from the edge of the circle just past the top right hand corner.
The pressure continued and after 18 minutes Dangerous Dave McClune drove
into the Cookstown circle, slipped the ball to McAfee who slotted home.
2-1 to Bangor.
With 5 minutes to go in the first half, Cookstown won a penalty corner
which struck McCausland on the leg, leading to a second corner. Thompson
saved low to his right but only a minute later, Cookstown scored a scrappy
goal, taking the teams into half time at 2-2.
Bangor starting brightly in the second half - after 4 minutes Mark
Campbell found Gareth Stranaghan who won a corner. The Cookstown keeper
made a fine save.
A few minutes later, McAfee and McClune combined to win another corner.
Unfortunately, McAfee's effort was just wide.
Regrettably on 12 minutes the Bangor capitulation started, 3-2 to Cooktown.
A further goal followed on 16 minutes, 4-2 to Cookstown and, on 30
minutes, the capitulation was complete with Cookstown's final goal making
the final score 5 – 2 to the visitors.
Many thanks to Davy Shields for umpiring.
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