Bangor continued their very poor run this season when they were beaten by local rivals North Down at home on Saturday.
In a game that rattled from end to end Bangor didn't quite have the strength or discipline to hold off a young and pacy North Down side.

After falling two goals behind from penalty corners Bangor dragged themselves back into the game before the break but a lacklustre second half meant they ultimately lost 5-3. It means they are now firmly in ninth place in the Premier League and staring up at the likes of Mossley, North Down and Kilkeel. Only Raphoe lie below them.

Bangor have no game this Saturday but must train hard to turn the result around when they play in the reverse fixture the following week.

A solid start did Bangor no favours and they fell behind from North Down's first penalty corner - Richard Cooper scoring after John Tormey made the initial save.

As before this season Bangor were the own worst enemies, giving the ball away unnecessarily in their own half, and they were further punished from North Down's second penalty corner. Scott Caruth stepped up and gave Tormey no chance with a thunderbolt into the top left corner.

But Bangor found themselves back in the game before the break. First of all their own penalty corner routine started to fire and Stephen McLean was on hand to calmly turn the ball in after the chance looked to be lost.

Next Dave Edwards struck with the goal of the game, if not the season. Bangor haven't scored many goals this year but when they have they've been eye-catching. Most players stopped as the ball flew across the circle at chest height but the big Englishman didn't and with a vicious reverse stick swipe volleyed the ball past the helpless North Down goalkeeper. A truly special goal.

Two-all and all to play for in the second half but the wheel's came off spectacularly. Despite dominating possession and territory Bangor found themselves extremely vulnerable to North Down on the counter attack throughout the half. They pinned the visitors back but it was North Down who struck when possession was gifted to them on the halfway line, Gareth Baillie tapping home after Tormey was left completely exposed. And just minutes later more lax defending allowed Andy Forrest to fire the ball into the roof of the net from close in.

Bangor did rally and create a few more chances, taking one when a sweeping move found Dawie Holley on the right flank and his firm cross was deflected in at full stretch by Chris Campbell. But Bangor were penalised despite the goal being allowed to stand and Simon Hunter was sent to the sin-bin against his former club.

To their credit Bangor continued to push forward with 10 men but they never quite looked like getting back into the game. And as they flagged North Down won one last penalty corner and Caruth repeated his first half effort with another top corner special. North Down did have other chances near the death and one triple save from Tormey even left the opposition congratulating him. It's a pity the veteran goalkeeper doesn't get better protection.

No game this weekend and a chance for Bangor to lick their wounds. The next game against North Down now takes on huge importance and Bangor should look forward to a quick opportunity for revenge. Losing to a team that didn’t even win Senior One last season just isn’t good enough.

 

 

Written by Simon Hunter