CHIMNEY CORNER 3-5 BANGOR

With the final match of the group stage, Bangor needed a win to at least stand a chance of qualifying for the knockout stages. Looking to attack from the off, Bangor began brightly, forcing a number of early corners. Ryan Brown 2 had Bangor’s first clear-cut chance when the forward latched on to a through ball, only to see his toe-poked effort land on the roof of the net.

Despite the early Bangor pressure, it was Chimney Corner who found themselves in the lead. After 11 minutes, John Banks banged the ball home from 8 yards after Ryan Brown 1 spilled a high cross from McClintock on the right.

This goal shook Bangor who instantly set about trying to get back on level terms. Good work from McCloskey on the right forced a corner. From the corner, the ball was half cleared to Johnny Cheevers whose deflected shot from 20 yards sailed wide of the upright for another corner. Brian Russell should have levelled the scores when he headed just wide after a good cross from McStravick on the right wing.

With Bangor beginning to show their dominance, Ryan Brown 2 wasted a good opportunity to score. From a long through ball by Holland, Brown sidestepped a defender before having a weak left footed shot blocked by the ‘keeper for a corner. From the resultant corner, McStravick headed just over from a good position.

The Bangor threat was coming mainly from Andy Morrow who was at the heart of most attacks. Indeed it was Morrow who supplied a super cross to Brian Russell who headed back across goal to Cheevers who headed straight at French in the Chimney Corner goal.

After missing a glut of good opportunities, Bangor finally levelled the scoring after 33 minutes. A defence splitting pass from Jackie Kerr found Jim McCloskey who made no mistake from 10 yards to fire home past French, giving Bangor the goal they deserved.

McCloskey was unlucky not to extend Bangor’s lead moments later when his header was tipped over the bar by French after fine work on the right wing by the lively Morrow.

It was Chimney Corner who finished the first half stronger, reminding the Bangor defence of their occasional threat. A lobbed volley from McClintock from 20 yards clipped the top of the crossbar while on the stoke of half time, a blocked shot in the six yard area had the Chimney Corner players convinced that they should have had a penalty for handball.

Half time: Chimney Corner 1 – 1 Bangor

It was Bangor who began the second half brightly, forcing Chimney Corner onto the back foot. Brian Russell saw a shot blocked for a corner by a diving defender after good work by Ryan Brown 2 while Cheevers headed over the bar from the follow-up corner.
After 55 minutes, Ryan Brown 2 had a good chance to put Bangor in the lead after a powerful 25 yard shot from Barry Holland was spilled by the ‘keeper only for the forward to drag his shot wide of the right-hand upright.

Bangor continued their wasteful ways of the first half with McStravick heading wide after a corner kick while Jim McCloskey blazed a shot high over the bar after a good move. After 65 minutes David Officer replaced Ryan Brown 2 as Bangor changed formation, looking to take the lead.

They didn’t have long to wait thanks to Andy Morrow. Brian Russell flicked on a long punt down field from Ryan Brown 1, which Morrow gathered. The striker turned his defender with ease on the edge of the area before slipping a low shot into the bottom corner past the wrong-footed French after 67 minutes.

There was a worrying sense of déjà vu after 70 minutes when the referee’s head was on the receiving end of a Brian Russell clearance. Thankfully, after 5 minutes of treatment, the referee was fit to continue much to the relief of the travelling Bangor fans.

After making a number of substitutions, Chimney Corner found themselves back on level terms after 74 minutes. The substitute Neeson collected a pass from McClintock before striking a low drive past the diving Bangor ‘keeper and into the bottom right hand corner.

Needing to seal a victory, Bangor went all out attack, bringing on John Douglas for John Kennedy.

However, this left gaps in the Bangor defence that Chimney Corner capitalised on to full effect. With only 7 minutes of normal time remaining, Chimney Corner took the lead with a superb goal from Banks. The Chimney Corner forward picked the ball up 20 yards from goal before wonderfully chipping Ryan Brown 1 and into the net.

The lead lasted only a minute, though, when, a long ball down field found the feet of Andy Morrow who played a short pass to McCloskey. McCloskey burst through on goal and shot low past the advancing keeper with the final touch coming off a Chimney Corner defender.

Bangor were now determined to regain the lead with Russell unlucky to see a flashing header drift just wide form a corner. But, on the 90-minute mark, Andy Morrow gave Bangor the lead they deserved. Barry Holland picked the ball up in his own half before playing a long ball to Morrow on the edge of the penalty area with his back to goal. Morrow turned his defender with ease before ferociously hammering the ball past French and into the net.

Morrow completed his hat trick in injury time with a glancing header that found the net via the far post after a Gary Clifford free kick on the right wing.

Full time: Chimney Corner 3 – 5 Bangor

Bangor: Brown 1, Clifford, Kennedy, McStravick, Holland, Cheevers, Brown 2, Kerr, Morrow, Russell, McCloskey. Subs: Massey, Douglas, Officer.

Scorers: Morrow (3), McCloskey (2)

Chimney Corner: French, Gordon, Gibson, Gaston, Taggart, Law, McClintock, ???, Costello, McFadden, Banks. Subs: Crawford, Neeson, ???

Scorers: Banks (2), Neeson.

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