BANGOR 0-0 BALLYCLARE COMRADES

Bangor continued their unbeaten start to the season but had to fight hard for a scoreless draw with a well organised Ballyclare Comrades side. In a game dominated by the defences, neither side could muster a goal with both goalkeepers performing well to keep the opposition at bay, marking Bangor's first game of the season without scoring.

Ballyclare were quickest out of the blocks and had Bangor on the back foot immediately from kickoff. Ian McGrath saw his blistering 20 yard shot fly just wide of the post after 8 minutes before Gary Bell's long range effort forced a fine save from Ryan Brown 1 moments later.

A poor clearance in the heart of the Ballyclare defence gifted Ryan Brown 2 Bangor's clearest chance of the half after 21 minutes, but the forward could only stab the looping ball wide of the post from 10 yards with just Mannus to beat.

Having struggled with the visitors' early pace, Bangor began to find their feet and a defence splitting pass in the 28th minute from Andy Morrow gave Glenn Hand a run on goal from the right but the winger could only blaze his shot just over the crossbar from 16 yards.

Bangor's best passing move of the match created a chance for the lively Ryan Brown 2 in the 33rd minute. Having collected the loose ball on the edge of the Ballyclare penalty area, Irvine spread the ball to the right where Collier released Hand. The Bangor winger advanced and exchanged clever passes with Morrow before whipping in a dangerous cross which Brown met with his head, only to see his effort fly just over the crossbar from 8 yards.

Half time: 0 - 0

As has been a common trend, Bangor began the second half looking for an immediate goal which almost arrived after 47 minutes through Andy Forsythe. Bangor captain Andy Morrow did well on the right before sending a deep cross into the visiting penalty area where Forsythe arrived to send his hearder flying over the crossbar from close range.

Ian Mannus was called into action for his first meaningful save in the 50th minute when the former-Ards stopper acrobatically tipped John Bailie's rasping 25 yard volley over the crossbar to deny the midfielder a spectacular goal.

The Ballyclare 'keeper was busy again after 56 minutes as he had to move quickly to hold onto Andy Morrow's backpost header from a Colin Beggs cross.

Bangor were beginning to assert themselves more and more while keeping Ballyclare pinned back in their own half. This allowed Stephen Collier a rare foray upfield, and after combining well with Morrow, the former-Linfield star saw his goal bound effort superbly blocked by a wrong-footed Mannus on the goal-line.

Having introduced the lively Eddie Hill to the action, Ballyclare certainly still posed a real threat on the attack and Ryan Brown 1 had to throw himself to his right to block a stinging effort from Mark Patterson after the midfielder had been set up by the substitute on the edge of the Bangor peanlty area.

It was another Patterson shot from the edge of the area in the 77th minute which almost broke the deadlock. The low shot cannoned off a defender in a crowded penalty area and seemed to be spinning goalwards only for substitute James Bell to hook the ball to safety.

With Ballyclare pushing further forward, the excellent Ryan Brown 2 had to race back to do his defensive duties by executing a perfect sliding tackle to deny Eddie Hill a shot on goal from 10 yards.

Bangor's last chance of the match fell to Glenn Hand in the 85h minute after Ryan Brown 2's right wing cross had travelled across goal. Hand steadied himself to shoot, but saw his angled left footed effort roll agonisingly wide of the upright with no Bangor player able to get the final touch which the cross-cum-shot needed.

Final score: 0 - 0

Bangor: Brown 1, Collier, Beggs (Bell), Munn, Bailie, Harbinson, Hand, Irvine, Morrow, A Forsythe (McDowell), Brown 2. Subs not used: McMullan, Emerson, Kee.

Booked: Morrow, Munn, Bailie, Harbinson, Collier, Beggs.

Ballyclare Comrades: Mannus, Smyth, Bell, Loughran (Hill) Caldwell, GIlmore, Higgins, McRoberts, Patterson, McKay, McGrath (Agnew). Subs not used: Mulholland, E Forsythe

Booked: McRoberts, McGrath, Hill, Patterson

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