Portstewart vs Bangor preview: To Mullaghacall next in the quest for three points

Following last week’s tense victory over Queen’s University, next on the agenda for Bangor is a trip north to Mullaghacall where Portstewart will lie in wait. With the Seasiders seeking to keep pace with Ballymacash Rangers, who remain top of the Premier Intermediate League by a point having played one game more, the principal objective once again is to take all three points back down the road.

Not that Johnny Law’s troops will make it easy. The recent history of this fixture tells of a tightly-contested and close-fought affair, and the Yellows will once more need to be firing on all cylinders to claim total spoils. In what will surely be an afternoon for hats, scarves and snoods on the north coast, the visiting players can be expected to enter warmed and buoyed with high levels of confidence and professionalism, prepared to deliver every last drop to withstand and prosper.

Bangor’s defeat of Queen’s at The Dub last Saturday marks a third win in succession, albeit it did come down to the finest of fine margins.

First half finishes from Adam Neale and Michael Halliday put the Seasiders two up – the former’s attempt marginally crossing the line before shot-stopper Dean Smyth could claw away, and the latter’s bullet header nestling low into the bottom right – but the hosts responded in turn.

Ronan Young’s driving dribbling run culminated in a placed shot beyond James Taylor’s dive and in at the same corner as Halliday’s earlier uncompromising conversion. That halved the visitors’ advantage midway through the second period, before the same player sent pulses racing on cracking the woodwork with the last meaningful effort of the game from a 35-yard free kick. The Yellows prevailed 1-2, but were still made to sweat.

Bangor knew on their trip to south Belfast six days ago that the points were no given, and so it proved. The crucial thing is that they were given the points by the game’s end having seen off a capable opponent.

Portstewart are likewise, and have been a familiar foe ever since the Clandeboye club earned their place back in the third-tier in 2019.

Last season, a 0-1 road win in September courtesy of Karl Devine’s 55^th-minute strike was followed up by a 3-1 victory in late March to complete a league double over the Seahawks. Devine delivered the third, adding to earlier takes by Mark Cooling and Reece Neale that put seal on that result.

Yet in 2019/20, it was Port who had prevailed back-to-back. A 0-2 defeat for Bangor at what was then known as the Bangor Fuels Arena was followed by a 1-0 loss at Seahaven in that Covid-curtailed campaign.

They are a competitive unit, and as it transpired they would end that term unbeaten in 14 league matches.

It is a culture cultivated by Law, who has helmed the club for four-and-a-half years. A figure appointed on the back of six years in charge of Coleraine’s Under-20s, while there have been peaks and troughs – a 7^th-place finish in the third-tier last campaign would have been seen as a disappointment – they have always kept stable and took it to their opponents.

“It’s a tight pitch which will likely be quite heavy at this time of the year”

Lee Feeney

A third-tier side since 2017, and in the second-flight as recently as 15 years ago, their target now is to be at the top end of this division.

That bottom-half placing last time out also came amid a last-16 run in the Irish Cup, dealing a blow to relative near-neighbours Institute a tier above them along the way, as well as soaking in the glory after winning the Craig Memorial Cup.

“We want to put Portstewart on the map and you have to be in competitions like this (the Irish Cup) for people to take stock of what we’re trying to do here,” Law insisted after that 0-1 victory against ‘Stute at the Brandywell back in January.

“Hopefully it’ll attract better players to the club so we can push on to the next level.”

Bangor find Port in 7^th-place once more, but the league’s margins are sufficiently fine that they are only three points off Tobermore United in third.

And where the Yellows survived a scare having held a two-goal lead, their hosts on Saturday were not so fortunate. Having built up a 2-0 lead against Armagh City, Shea Campbell’s men reacted sterlingly in the second half to secure a 2-2 draw thanks to two goals in the last 15 minutes.

After beating league basement dwellers PSNI by a couple to nil the game before, it at least marks a two-match unbeaten run having lost the two beforehand against Limavady United (3-1) and Dollingstown (1-2) in October. Law will have his boys fit and firing to ensure a repeat of what happened last week is not on.

As for Lee Feeney’s approach to the match, the Clandeboye chief has a crystal clear belief behind what he views as the essence of success.

“Every game’s a tough game,” he pointed out in advance of last week’s Queen’s encounter.

“Every game’s a hard game, even the games we’ve had the big scorelines in, we’ve had to put the work in to get the big score.”

Nothing is left to chance, according to the boss. You must be committed to the cause from the outset in order to get what you want.

Entering on a current 13-game unbeaten run in regulation time since mid-September, comprising 11 wins in that span, motivation is high in the camp to keep this streak enduring for as long as possible. You would be hard-pressed to find any team who tires of victory, but there is a particular no-fear attitude around this place right now.

The elder Neale brother’s 11^th goal of the season in just his ninth appearance for the outfit takes him joint-top of the scoring charts, even with Ben Arthurs who will seek to make his splash when he returns from injury, while 43-year-old Halliday’s second strike in seven days props his season tally up to four. The evergreen line-leader is still a box of tricks.

Adam’s younger brother Reece bolstered his assist tally on supplying the east Belfast ace while Ryan Arthur’s set-up for the opener marks as his second for this term, equally hot in pursuit of a first goal since August. There is great pride taken in upgrading season stats across the panel.

The confidence is high, and in the build-up to the Steel and Sons Cup final a fortnight from now, wins on the board are the perfect way to build momentum.

In terms of players to watch among the Portstewart squad, there are a few stand-out names in their camp.

Eoghan Devine – a former teammate of Bangor duo Arthur and Tom Mathieson at Ballyclare Comrades last season – has been a constant feature in Law’s midfield this term, while in 17-year-old Conor Henry, the Seahawks possess between their sticks perhaps the youngest first-choice goalkeeper in the Irish League right now.

The goals have tended to be spread around the team, with Ryan Doherty the top scorer on three plus four players on two. It is a fairly youthful squad save for a few seasoned veterans, with Henry joined by Taylor McBride in the ranks of regular sweet seventeens in the fold.

Player to watch:

Former Crusaders Academy player Eoghan Devine joined Portstewart in the off-season having been in and around the first-team under both Paul Harbinson and Stephen Small at Ballyclare Comrades last season. He has featured regularly under Johnny Law since dropping down to the third-tier. Image from Ballyclare Comrades official Twitter account.

Feeney’s musings pre-match included a warning that wrists could be burned if his team are not up for it from the outset.

“It’s a tough place to go,” he insisted to Neil Watson in this week’s County Down Spectator.

“It’s a tight pitch which will likely be quite heavy at this time of the year, and we know Portstewart are a decent team who will fancy their chances.”

This test calls Bangor to show their best version of themselves once more. Dare one say, they must law down the law to take total spoils.

Feeney has been all too willing to drill this mindset in. The best way to mark one win is to achieve another next time out, to always look ahead rather than dwelling on what has come and gone.

He and the players will be equally keen to restart a roll of clean sheets too, given the Seasiders have kept only one in the last five outings having managed 12 in 15 initially. Defensive solidity is something the panel and the coaching staff have been proud of this season, and another shut-out would be richly welcomed.

Above all, though, the priority is to claim three points. Whatever way they come, relative to the league table, the target of moving up to 22 points after eight matches will always reign supreme.

Meanwhile, Bangor learned their Irish Cup fifth round opponents this week, as Tuesday’s draw at Windsor Park saw the Seasiders paired with Tandragee Rovers of the Mid Ulster Intermediate A division.

In what is the only all-Intermediate tie of this stage of Ireland’s oldest football competition, the Yellows were handed a home draw as they were last year when Larne came to visit. Tandragee ­– 10^th-placed in Intermediate A, and who defeated league mates Oxford Sunnyside 3-1 in the fourth round to book their place – make the visit to Clandeboye Park for a 3pm kick-off on the 7^th January.

Giving his immediate reaction to the draw, Bangor striker Michael Halliday said: “Yeah, it’s kind of how my whole career started with Glentoran, I’m fortunate enough to have scored in a ‘Big Two’ cup final (against Linfield in 2001, the only goal of a game that had went to extra time) and score in a few more after that.

“The Irish Cup means a lot to me, it’s a great day if you’re on the winning team, not so much if you’re on the losing team but it’s a great cup to be part of and obviously you want to see how far you can go in it.

“I think Covid’s probably put these events on the backburner for the last wee while, so it’s great to get together and see the draw live and things like that there.

“There’s a bit of a buzz around it, and as I was saying during the draw, first Saturday comes in January, you know you’re in the Irish Cup and you know you’re in with the big boys, obviously we’ve got Tandragee this year but you know there’s a chance we could beat Tandragee and get a good draw for ourselves in the next round.

“So yeah, looking forward to it.”

Elsewhere, Bangor Reserves are in league action once more this weekend, as Davy Downes sends his side in against Newington with hopes of returning to winning ways. The Seasiders, who fell just the wrong side of a seven-goal thriller against Loughgall at Clandeboye Park last Saturday, have already beaten the ‘Ton twice this term and will aspire to make it third time lucky on home soil once more.

Victory in this 11am kick-off will see the Yellows close the gap on their north Belfast rivals to just a point with three fewer games played. It also presents the Under-20s with the chance to potentially leapfrog Warrenpoint in the table.

In other news, the Clandeboye Bangor Supporters Club received a grant from the Department for Communities, helping to provide coaching and training equipment. Chairman John McGrogan (aka Johnny Marino) and Secretary Andy Bannon were pictured handing new resources to Bangor vice-chairman Jim Russell during the Seasiders’ most recent home match against Strabane Athletic.

Congratulations also to Gary Shufflebottom, who claimed £100 in the monthly Seasider 200 draw made last Saturday.

At a cost of £5 per month, you can be in with a chance of pocketing some cash too – follow the link in the attached embed to find out how.

Furthermore, long-time Bangor supporter and member of the We Care, You Matter team Lee Purcell has very kindly offered to make crocheted seagulls and club-themed cakes for anyone who registers their interest. All the proceeds attained will be donated back to the club, making this another innovative way to support the team and treat yourself to something nice.

You can contact Lee via email – leedo82@hotmail.com – to order. Rest assured, you will not be left disappointed.

Finally, speaking of the We Care, You Matter team, don’t forget that next week, the club’s official wellbeing team invite all the community to the Social Club next Saturday 17^th December to have a chat over some tea, coffee and biscuits.

With shortbread and mince pies on offer – and entirely free of charge – you are cordially welcome to enjoy the festivities on the weekend before Christmas. Taking place from 1:30pm to 2:30pm, the Seasiders’ final home match of the year against Banbridge Town immediately follows with a 3pm kick-off, and you are richly encouraged to stay for that.

Featured image from Life Through A Lens NI.

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