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Junior League 3 : Cookstown 4 v 3 Bangor FOURTHS LATE SHOW JUST NOT ENOUGH |
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The game began at a brisk pace, both teams keen to exert some early influence. The home side attack with pace and caused problems for the Bangor defence. The Bangor left back, Cook, in particular, was in for a torrid night as Cookstown attacked monotonously down the right hand side. Bangor however, were not without their own attacking threat. Quick passing exchanges between Reid, Scott and Snodden on the right hand side was the basis of many of Bangor's early attacking movements. Bangor's front two of Savage and Elliot were close to profiting from these attacks on several occasions.
It was however, the home side that were to break the deadlock with a well taken goal after a move, somewhat ironically, down the left hand side of the pitch. The game was finely poised at this stage. Cookstown sensed another goal and pushed forward. Bangor's defence held firm for the next 10 minutes though, with Martin and Cook making some timely challenges. As Bangor began to regain a foothold in the game, Savage profited from some good work down the right by Scott, and thundered an equaliser into the bottom left corner of the Cookstown goal.
Unfortunately for Bangor, as has been the case so often this year, the focus was lost for long enough to offer the opposition a route back into the game. In Cookstown's very next attack they were to regain their lead, a simple tap in for their forward after two Bangor defenders were attracted to the ball. Worse still, as the home side piled on the pressure, the lead was to be increased after a well reheresed short corner routine. Somewhat shell shocked, Bangor tucked into their half time oranges 3 goals to 1 down.
Despite some harsh words at half time,
Cookstown maintained their superiority in the early stages of the second
half, and increased their lead with a scrappy goal. Three goals to
the good, 15 minutes left, and the home side certainly thought the game
was won. It was to prove not such a formality though as Bangor began
to claw their way back. First of all, Ricky Parker was on hand to
slot home from the right hand side of the circle after some good work by
Reid and Scott. Then Roger Irvine notched his second goal in
successive games with a clever deflected shot. Cookstown were well
and truly on the back foot and it was all Bangor. With a couple of
minutes remaining, Elliot came within inches of equalising for Bangor, the
ball flying narrowly past the post with the home keeper beaten.
Sadly for Bangor, this was to be their last clear chance at goal before
the final whistle ended their hopes of a miraculous comeback. |