PORTSTEWART 3 - 4 BANGOR

Bangor stretched their unbeaten run to 14 games with this thrilling 4-3 victory over bottom of the league side Portstewart. The Seasiders raced into a two goal lead thanks to an Andy Morrow brace, but the Seahawks replied twice before half-time to level the scores. A Paul McDowell penalty seemed to be enough for Bangor, but a hard-working Portstewart side equalised again from the penalty spot. As the game seemed to be heading for a draw, James Bell chose a perfect time to score his first goal for Bangor to end an action packed game.

Andy Morrow gave Bangor the lead in the 10th minute with an early contender for goal of the season. Fully 30 yards from goal and with not many options, Morrow looked up to see Matthew McGraw 6 yards off his goal line. This gave the Bangor skipper all he needed as he sent a delightful effort sailing over the 'keepers head and into the back of the net to mark Morrow's 5th goal of the season.

Portstewart found themselves 2 goals down 6 minutes later as Morrow doubled the Seasiders advantage. James Bell's inswinging corner was badly judged by McGraw allowing Stephen Munn a shot at the backpost which was blocked on the line. The rebound fell to Andy Morrow who hooked the ball home from 6 yards despite being on the ground and surrounded by home defenders.

Instead of pushing on and killing the game off, Bangor sat back and paid the price when the home side pulled a goal back after 33 minutes. Lynch's low 20 yard freekick from the right corner of the penalty area took deflection sending the ball past a despairing Brown and into the bottom corner.

Bangor almost hit back immediately through Andy Morrow, but this time the forward saw his glancing near post header cleared off the line by a defender after another dangerous Bell corner.

Another precise Lynch freekick in the 38th minute levelled the scores as Taylor found space in a static Bangor defence to prod the ball home from 8 yards.

Half-time: 2 - 2

Having played into a wind in the first half, Bangor again found themselves up against a gale which had certainly increased in strength in the second.

Despite this, John Bailie's cross from the left in the 50th minute was again badly misjudged by McGraw, but Andy Morrow could only direct his headed effort against the post from 12 yards.

Portstewart were beginning to make the most of the weather conditions and were causing no end of problems for the Bangor defence. A long Dougan throw in the 70th minute was glanced across goal and just wide by Todd as a goal looked likely.

Against the run of play, Bangor were awarded a penalty in the 75th minute when man of the match Andy Morrow was upended in the penatly area after good play from substitutes Ryan Brown 2 and Carl Rezai. Paul McDowell took responsibility and he duly hammered the ball home to mark the striker's 15th goal of the season.

The home side reacted to this setback immediately and won themselves a penalty when Todd drew a foul from Paul Harbinson. Peden stepped up for Portstewart and he squeezed his effort between the post and Brown to level the scores for the 3rd time.

Portstewart had a glorious chance to take the lead for the first time in the 81st minute when Whiteside connected with Todd's freekick. Somehow Ryan Brown 1 dived to claw the ball away from point blank range as a goal looked certain.

That save turned out to be crucial as Bangor raced up field to bag the winning goal 6 minutes from full-time. A quickly taken Paul McDowell freekick picked out Morrow on the edge of the Portstewart penalty area. As Morrow struggled to control under the attentions of the home defence, the ball fell for James Bell who remained composed to drill the ball into the bottom corner from 8 yards to send the away support home happy.

Full-time: 3 - 4

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

Scorers: Morrow ('10, '16), McDowell ('75 pen.), Bell ('84)
Booked: Munn

Portstewart: McGraw, Duggan, Lynch, Taylor, Whiteside, Moffet, Peden (Rushe), Thompson, Kleczkowski, Todd, Cheull? (Fadden). Subs not used: MacGowan, Gaston

Scorers: Lynch ('33), Taylor ('38), Peden ('77)
Booked: Thompson, Lynch

SITE FEATURES:


Colin Bateman 1993


League Cup 1993


Brian Mulgrew