BANGOR 2-2 COAGH UNITED

A 90th minute penalty salvaged a point for a Bangor side who could count themselves fortunate not to have suffered a defeat to an impressive Coagh United side on the opening day of the league campaign. Having fallen behind to a first half Paul McDowell strike, Coagh struck back twice in the second half to take a deserved lead before McDowell came to Bangor’s rescue from the penalty spot.

Bangor began well and found themselves a goal to the good after 15 minutes. Andy Morrow did well to control Beggs’ left wing cross, but as the Bangor captain looked for space in the Coagh 6-yard box, the ball broke loose to Paul McDowell on the left hand corner of the penalty area. Last season’s leading marksman took a touch before volleying the ball into the top right hand corner past Johnny Pollock.

Coagh began to dominate proceedings forcing a series of corners, but the visitors were being restricted to long range efforts with Ryan Brown comfortably dealing with 20 yard shots from Scott McCordrick and Gregory Stewart.

In a bid to get a grip of the game, Bangor replaced left winger Andy Forsythe with centre-half Paul Harbinson as the Seasiders reorganised their side to try and counter the Coagh threat.

Despite being on the back foot for the majority of the half, Bangor went into half-time having finished the stronger. Johnny Pollock reacted quickly to smoother the danger at Glenn Hand’s feet after McDowell set the winger up in the 41st minute. Pollock was again in action to beat away Irvine’s 16 yard shot after more good play from McDowell moments later.

Half-time: 1 – 0

The impressive Jamie Tomelty was causing the Bangor side all sorts of problems and it was the tricky midfielder who came close to equalising with a curling 25-yard shot which bent just wide of the left post.

Bangor were awarded an in-direct free kick in the 51st minute, 10-yards from the Coagh goal, but Stephen Munn couldn’t control his shot as he blazed over the crossbar from McDowell’s lay off.

The game continued to flow at a rapid pace, and only 2 minutes later, Ryan Brown 1 had to be alert to beat away Steven Hawe’s close range shot after Mark McMenemy had found acres of space in the Bangor penalty area to create the opening for the defender.

Bangor had strong appeals for a penalty waved away in the 66th minute after Irvine appeared to be hauled to the ground by Johnny Pollock. Andy Morrow’s low cross from the right was spilled by the ‘keeper giving Hand a chance from 10 yards, but his shot was blocked on the line. The rebound fell to Irvine and as he shaped to shoot, the scrambling Pollock appeared to pull the Bangor midfielder unceremoniously to the ground.

The visitors could have equalised moments later but Ryan Brown 1 saved well from Stewart’s low shot from the left, before picking himself up to hold onto McCordrick’s close range header.

Coagh were now in total control and only for an amazing miss from Scott McCordrick, would have found themselves on level terms. Ryan Brown 1 was again forced into a low stop from Stewart, but the Bangor ‘keeper couldn’t hold the ball as it rolled across goal. With an empty net at his mercy, McCordrick somehow scuffed his 6 yard shot against the upright, allowing Paul Emerson to slide in and clear the danger.

The equaliser which Coagh had been looking for deservedly arrived in the 76th minute when Bangor failed to clear a free kick. Gregory Stewart was in the right place to sweep the ball into the net from 10 yards through a crowd of bodies.

Coagh found themselves in the lead only 4 minutes later when Scott McCordrick made amends for his earlier glaring miss. The striker made the most of a poor clearance from Paul Harbinson to slot the ball past an on-rushing Brown from 16 yards.

Ryan Brown 1 was called into action in the 85th minute to keep out Jamie Tomelty’s cross-cum-shot from the left which was looping into the top corner while Aaron Thornton headed the resultant corner wide when well placed.

Bangor got their lifeline in the 90th minute when referee Keith Hughes, having earlier turned down 3 penalty claims, adjudged Stephen Hawe to have handled the ball after good work from Andy Morrow. Paul McDowell made no mistake from the spot as he hammered the ball low past Pollock.

Deep in injury time of an entertaining match, Bangor could have snatched all 3 points. Paul McDowell forced Pollock into a save high to his right before Colin Beggs set up Andy Morrow, but his acrobatic 10 yard effort was superbly beat away by the alert Pollock.

Full-time: 2 – 2

Bangor: Brown 1, Bailie, Beggs, Munn, Emerson, Bell, Hand, Irvine (Brown 2), Morrow, McDowell, Forsythe (Harbinson). Subs not used: Rosson, Key.

Scorer: McDowell (’15, ’90 pen.) Booked: Forsythe, McDowell, Munn

Coagh United: Pollock, K Ferguson (S Dallas), Thornton, Calderwood, Hawe, Cowden, Tomelty, Reid, McCordrick, McMenemy, Stewart. Subs not used: J Ferguson, M Dallas

Scorers: Stewart (’76), McCordrick (’80) Booked: Cowden, McCordrick, Hawe.

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