BANGOR 2-3 BANBRIDGE TOWN
Carnegie First Division
Match Report by Neil Watson
Tuesday 25th April 2006
Bangor lost the first of their 3 matches in
5 days thanks to a late winner from Banbridge’s leading
goal-scorer, David Irwin. Despite being reduced to ten men
after Barry Holland was sent off on 63 minutes, Bangor had
chances to seal the victory, but were dealt a cruel blow
by Irwin’s 89th minute goal.
Jim McCloskey should have opened the scoring
after 6 minutes when he latched on to a John Douglas cross
from the right. McCloskey seemed to misjudge the bounce
of the ball as he miscued his shot from 8 yards allowing
Haveron to gather easily.
Banbridge grabbed the opening goal of the
game after 16 minutes. A mistake by Barry Holland allowed
Ryan Moffat to latch on to the loose ball. His 12 yard shot
was blocked by Ryan Brown, but David Irwin reacted quickest
to stab the ball home.
Stephen Haveron was forced into his first
save of the match after 20 minutes. The lively Andy Morrow
beat his marker on the left wing before smashing a ball
across goal which Haveron had to push over his crossbar.
After 25 minutes, John Douglas came close
to levelling the scores in spectacular fashion. A Jim McCloskey
corner from the left was headed as far as Douglas but from
25 yards, the midfielder’s rasping volley flew just
over the crossbar.
Banbridge began to dominate proceedings with
the pace of Evans and the trickery of Irwin causing the
Bangor back-line continuous problems. It was in fact the
pace of Evans which led to Barry Holland picking up his
first booking with a cynical tackle as Evans threatened
to break clear.
Bangor were given their chance to level the
scores on 40 minutes from the penalty spot. As Andy Morrow
chased a long ball up field, he was clumsily bundled over
by a Banbridge defender. Kenny Camlin took responsibility
and he slotted the ball home past Haveron.
Only a minute later and Banbridge should have
restored their lead. A Damian McParland cross from the right
was headed wide by David Irwin from 10 yards when he was
unmarked.
On the stroke of half time, it was Bangor
who could have finished the half with the lead. Andy Morrow
and Brian Russell combined well on the edge of the penalty
area to roll the ball into the patch of Jim McCloskey on
the left. McCloskey’s shot across goal flew agonisingly
wide of the base of the right hand post.
Half time: 1 – 1
Bangor took the lead after 53 minutes thanks
to Brian Russell. An in swinging Kenny Camlin corner from
the right was headed into the bottom corner of the goal
by Russell has he rose highest in a group of players.
The home sides lead only lasted 3 minutes
as Banbridge levelled the scores through Damian McParland.
The impressive David Irwin rose unchallenged on the edge
of the penalty area to head the ball into McParland’s
path and the forward made no mistake from 16 yards as he
hammered home past Brown.
On the hour mark, Jim McCloskey almost had
Bangor in front as his in swinging corner from the left
was headed off the goal line by a Banbridge defender.
Bangor were reduced to ten men after 63 minutes
when Barry Holland received his second yellow card for a
scything tackle on Timmy Grant on the right flank.
The loss of Barry Holland seemed to give the
Bangor side a new lease of life, with Andy Morrow especially
causing massive problems for the Banbridge defence. After
66 minutes, Stephen Haveron smothered the ball at Morrow’s
feet, while 2 minutes later, McCloskey headed a John Douglas
corner over the cross bar.
Stephen Haveron denied Kenny Camlin a goal
after 70 minutes. Andy Morrow did well to hold off Simon
Nicks before passing the ball through to the on rushing
Camlin. The bustling forward’s 16 yard shot was well
blocked by Haveron, keeping the scores level.
With both sides ringing the changes, it was
Andy Morrow who was desperately unlucky not to score after
80 minutes. Morrow collected a long punt up field before
turning his marker with ease. From fully 30 yards, Morrow
cracked a vicious shot off the Banbridge crossbar with Haveron
struggling to cover the effort.
Banbridge substitute Andy Brown forced Ryan
Brown into a smart save after 83 minutes. Brown flicked
the ball up for himself before turning and volleying towards
goal from 18 yards but Ryan Brown was quickly down to push
the ball away to safety.
In a late flurry of chances, Bangor could
have scored 3 times through Andy Morrow and Jim McCloskey.
Firstly it was Morrow who latched onto a Russell flick on,
but Haveron was out quickly to block the effort. Then it
was McCloskey’s turn to try his luck from 20 yards.
But, after beating his marker, the winger’s shot rolled
just wide of the post before Andy Morrow saw his 20 yard
shot deflected just over the bar by a Banbridge defender.
With only a minute to play, Bangor were dealt
a sucker punch as Banbridge grabbed the winning goal. David
Officer lost possession on the edge of the Banbridge penalty
area and as a result the ball was punted up field. With
the Bangor defence caught out of position, David Irwin,
despite claims for offside, remained composed to delicately
chip the ball over the advancing Brown.
Full time: 2 – 3
Bangor: Brown I, Kerr, Larmour, Holland, Cheevers,
Russell, Douglas (Massey), Dunlop, Morrow, Camlin (Officer),
McCloskey. Sub not used: Brown II.
Scorers: Camlin (40’ pen.), Russell
(53’)
Booked: Massey
Sent Off: Holland
Banbridge: Haveron, Crothers, O’Hare,
Boyle, Nicks, Tumelty, Evans, Irwin, Grant, McParland, Moffat
(Brown). Subs not used: Strong, Alexander
Scorers: Irwin (’16, ’89), McParland
(’56)
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