The immediate focus now switches to positive progress in the cup competitions, but not before Bangor upheld their perfect record to start the Premier Intermediate League season. Another win for three from three and a full nine points out of nine.
A 3-0 defeat of Dollingstown – who to that point had yielded a couple of commanding wins against top-half teams last term Banbridge Town and Armagh City – keeps up a trend of the team both putting the ball in the back of the opposite net and keeping it out of their own.
The weather on Saturday did not smile on the seaside, it is fair to say. The rain poured from the morning on and continued into the afternoon.
Being an all-terrain pitch, it can withstand whatever the elements throw at it, and it was up to the players to make the best of the murky conditions.
Lee Feeney’s starting team featured two changes from the slender victory at Limavady United the previous week. Ryan Arthur, who is on holiday, was replaced in the back-three system by Ryley D’Sena, who was an unused substitute in that match up north. Meanwhile, new season-long loan arrival from last term’s Premiership runners-up Cliftonville Seanna Foster was an immediate debutant from the start, coming in for Ally Ferguson who was named to the bench for this fixture.
Despite a nasty looking head injury late on in the Lims win, Lewis Harrison led the side out as captain from the start once more. His consistency is dependable, and even if he was listed as a pre-match doubt, he rarely lets his guard down and can be called on to put on a good show from the base of midfield.
On the peep of referee Stewart Long’s whistle, the action got under way at 3pm sharp.
Early goals have been a theme of the Seasiders’ matches to date. This one would be no exception as within 180 seconds of the ball being rolled, Dollingstown were already picking the ball out of their net.
A well-worked move resulted in Scott McArthur receiving the ball by the right byline, and his weighted cross was directed towards the back post. Lying in wait like a lion pouncing on their prey was Ben Arthurs, who rose authoritatively above the Dollybirds defender to head in from barely a yard out.
There was some conversation about whether the goal should stand as Arthurs’ or as an own goal. The last touch came off the opposition player, but Ben also got a flick-on to direct it on target just before – thus it was given as the striker’s fifth goal of the season, keeping up his perfect tally of finding the net in every match so far.
The visitors – who had rotated slightly with the likes of Mark McCabe and Daniel Gordon not involved – still posed a threat.
Their closest chance to level came on 17 minutes, when they pounced on a loose touch in build-up by D’Sena to the Bangor right. The ball was cut back but a mix of the recovering Harrison and imposing David Hume managed to smother the shot before it could be taken.
Often this beautiful game is decided by fine margins. No less was that so when the Yellows went straight up the other end and made it two.
McArthur proved quite the thorn in the side of the Dollingstown defence. Already with one assist, he popped up on the left side this time and squared it across the area towards the right-hand post. With the backline opened up and scrambling, Jamie Glover was alert to roll the ball in from this area for his third of the league season.
Glover is an undeniably gifted footballer. He adds flair and agility, backed by an unerring confidence to pull off tricks and flicks that dumbfound opponents.
As a goal outlet from midfield, his composure in front of goal is noticeably heightening. A left-footer, he is loving his football right now and as a scoring threat, there is no question of what he adds.
It was a shame this time that his endeavours had to end prematurely. Going down under one challenge, Glover did his best to continue but he could not run it off, and he was substituted off on 39 minutes to a well-deserved round of applause by the home faithful.
Coming on for his first-team debut was new arrival Tom Mathieson. A Bangor native ex of Dundela and Ballyclare Comrades, fans would get to see what attack-minded drive he could deliver to the Bangor attack. He would play his part in the second half for sure, though the first period ended on a collective lull with the hosts seeing out their 2-0 lead until the break. The half ended with two minutes of stoppage time for the treatment Glover received.
Up to now, Bangor have tended to do their best work in the first halves of matches. Of the 18 goals scored up to ref Long’s half time whistle here, 15 of them have came in the opening 45, with the three second half strikes at Greenisland hitherto the only exception to the rule.
But they didn’t dwell in trying to add another feather to the cap in the second stanza of this match.
On 56 minutes, McArthur was set behind the line and one-on-one against goalkeeper Gareth Buchanan only for the shot-stopper to drop low and claim his side-foot. Five minutes later, Arthurs could not convert a close-range header from Reece Neale’s ball into the box as the pressure continued to pile.
In the 65th minute, McArthur – who simply could not be restrained it seemed – had the ball in the back of the net but the linesman’s flag went up to rule the goal out for offside to little protest.
The hosts pushed. It felt like a third was getting closer, a third to put the match to bed. On 68 minutes, that third arrived.
A free kick was awarded after a foul on Arthurs around 25 yards from goal. The angle always suited a left-footer, and Neale obliged in the hope of curling it around the wall. His low-struck effort did just that, and though it was unable to beat Buchanan, he could only parry it back into the danger zone.
Attacking instinct twigged on. Arthurs and D’Sena raced towards the ball before the keeper could recover – and it was a race only they could win – with the former marginally connecting first to ram low into the bottom right.
It was Big Ben’s second of the day and sixth of the season in all competitions, and three for Bangor without reply.
Shortly after, it probably should have been four. Foster, distinguishable by his bright orange boots, had an industrious debut display where he never really let up in his intensity. He delivered a few decent balls into the box, but perhaps none better than this one from the right byline on 70 minutes.
By the back post, Mathieson ran to connect to this inviting ball sent by the wingback – who also counts Linfield and Warrenpoint Town among his former clubs – but could not direct it goal-bound to make it an assist-and-finish debutant combo. Both gave impressive accounts but it still feels like the best is still to come.
That was about the extent of it. The full time whistle blew and the Seasiders supporters celebrated a 3-0 win.
Three goals, three points, five wins, five clean sheets. The tale of the day and the season.
More positives to account. McArthur was electric, and for registering two assists he’ll know himself there were chances to get on the scoresheet too. In Arthur’s absence, a true demonstration of John Boyle’s vocal qualities from the centre-most berth of the back-three was seen that kept the team ticking. James Taylor had a fairly quiet game in goal but as ever he dealt with what fell his way, with neither him nor Marc Orbinson yet conceding in competitive action since they joined the club this summer.
Foster looks to have a lot about him. Arriving as a player respected by Cliftonville fans for his work ethic and high-intensity playstyle, he kept a consistent level throughout both in defence and attack, and his swift recoveries from high up to help defend were clear to see.
Meanwhile, Mathieson has settled in double-quick time, and provided Glover’s injury is not too serious – the prognosis is positive – he would be very able to step in and deliver attacking impetus from midfield. Neale was excellent, Harrison did not miss a beat while Dylan O’Kane was also tidy in the centre.
“Five clean sheets in a row, we’re keeping clean sheets, that’s the main thing,” said midfielder O’Kane.
“It was a tough test today, we’re still 100% and we got over the line in the end.
“We still need to work a bit on stringing the ball together, but that’ll come, that’ll improve.”
It speaks a lot of the character of this side that they still do not feel that they have peaked despite these excellent early results.
They are determined to work for the collective, and as they continue to gel, the prospect of what could be to come is very exciting. The Reds, on a streak of four wins in a row in the top-flight but who’ve also showed a bit of openness in defence, come to Clandeboye Park facing a side with wind in their sails. Hopefully the prospective bill that affair has lives up to the hype.
Elsewhere, the youth teams were also on fine form throughout the weekend. Preceding the senior match, Bangor Reserves recovered from a goal down to defeat Newington’s equivalents 4-1 thanks to Sonny Redford with a first half brace, Ross Craig – set to be back in the first-team fold before long – and a late clincher by substitute Ruairi Wright.
Hopes are high for this crop of Under-20s and, with a fluid brand of flowing ball-playing football, they created the bulk of the chances and secured a well-deserved three points.
There were positive results for the Under-17s, who defeated Downpatrick 1-0 last Friday, and the Under-14s, 5-0 victors over Lisburn Youth. The Under-18s earned an impressive 2-2 draw against Glentoran’s equals, while the two Under-13 teams in action both secured the spoils with wins over Castle Juniors (1-0) and CSP Youth (2-1). The Under-15s were narrowly defeated 0-1 by Aquinas in the other fixture.
Meanwhile, before the senior fixture, the first-team squad were hosted by the We Care You Matter team within the club – comprising Lee Purcell, Gary Faulkner, Kenny Greenhill, Kerry Ferguson and Paul Cain – at St Andrew’s Church.
The talk was to highlight the importance of mental health and reiterating the help that exists for if and when they need it.
Featured image from Sarah Harkness.
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