One year has gone and another has rolled in. 2022 proved a year with plenty of highs and a couple of demoralising lows for Bangor, but throughout the club continues to push and pursue their objectives with a lot of heart and desire.
With that, it is worth reflecting on how 2022 transpired, and where hope and optimism lies that even better is to come in 2023.
January
It proved to be a rather chastening start to the new year for the Seasiders when Larne visited Clandeboye Park in the fifth round of the Irish Cup. Any hopes of a contest, let alone an upset, against a team with top-tier title aspirations were pretty swiftly dashed thanks to Inver Reds striker Ronan Hale, who racked up four goals en route to an eventual 0-5 romp and booked the Premiership high-flyers their last-16 berth.
Andrew Scott had broken the deadlock within the first 180 seconds, with Hale – now reunited with elder brother Rory in a different red shirt, that of Cliftonville – running rampant thereafter.
Better was to follow for Bangor, though. A return to league action seven days after that thrashing came at Fortwilliam Park and concluded with three points, with striker Kyle Woods scoring the only goal of the game in the first half against basement boys Tobermore United.
In between those bouts, fan favourite Ryan Arthur’s departure was confirmed as the centre back transferred to second-tier Ballyclare Comrades following three-and-a-half decorated years in yellow and blue. Kyle Calderwood’s loan arrival was to provisionally cover the Carrickfergus native’s void in defence, at least until the season’s end, joining duo Dylan O’Kane and Jamie Glover in making the move from Ards in the winter window. Striker Jordan Hughes was also recruited from Dundela to add new dimension up top alongside the established Ben Arthurs and Michael Halliday.
On the 22nd January, the focus turned to the Intermediate Cup, where Arthurs’ first-half goal scored a narrow third-stage success over local Amateur League team Comber Rec.
While a week later, a disappointing 0-1 home defeat to Lisburn Distillery had compounded recent home frustrations. Mick O’Hanlon’s late finish for the Whites in a game where they were on the cosh for large parts imposed a fourth defeat in the last five home fixtures for the Seagulls, putting the pressure on ahead of a big month of February.
The transfer period had an eventful finish, as Calderwood was recalled by Ards and 18-year-old Australian defender Nicholas Aretzis was brought in from Larne on a similar half-season loan deal.
Further leavers came in the form of goalkeeper Ben Nicholl’s return to parent club Carrick Rangers and defender Dylan Snoddon’s switch to Belfast Celtic.
February
By ‘big month of February’, this was no exaggeration.
The shortest month of the year started with some titanic bouts for Bangor – namely, title rivals Newington and Armagh City in successive away clashes.
But for sloppy home fortunes, such a fate did not seem to affect Lee Feeney’s soldiers on the road. A 2-3 success at the ‘Ton – in which Bangor led 0-3 at half time thanks to finishes from Dylan O’Kane, Ben Arthurs and an own goal – was followed up by a three-goal victory to nil at the Eagles, with a Jack Upritchard brace key to securing the spoils at Holm Park.
Alas, those desired home comforts were still not to arrive. Newington got their revenge a fortnight on from that Solitude showdown, with the north Belfast institution dumping their yellow and blue adversaries out of the Intermediate Cup after a 0-3 scoreline at Clandeboye Park.
Another forgettable affair on home turf immediately followed, with a 0-1 home reverse to Dollingstown thanks to Mark McCabe’s early spot-kick.
A run of six home losses in seven matches marked as a low point as bizarre as it was extreme during the early portion of the year. A record that had to be set straight, but with no further cup action, full focus could at least be placed into achieving Premier Intermediate League promotion.
March
An away day started the month of March, and as had seemed to be the way of things, such a visit appeared to unleash the best out of Bangor.
A Mark Cooling spot-kick set the Seasiders on their way against Moyola Park, with Jordan Hughes converting the winner five minutes from time after the Mill Meadow outfit had equalised just before the half-hour.
The following week, the fruits of playing on the road yielded yet more harvest for the North Down men, as Hughes kept up his fine form with a brace at The Dub to help down PSNI. Jack Upritchard also hit the target for the visitors in south Belfast, with a clean sheet upheld and a 0-3 victory secured.
The Yellows hit their groove in this month such that following Lewis Harrison’s early winner at Limavady United, they supplied their most impressive home display in weeks. Karl Devine rounded off the scoring after Cooling and Reece Neale had put the hosts in the ascendency, total spoils enjoyed thanks to a 3-1 win over Portstewart.
A major move was made in the Ladies sector, meanwhile, as Michelle Crawford was named Head of Women’s Soccer.
Just before the new Bangor Ladies season was to get under way, former Linfield Ladies assistant manager Crawford’s role would prove one of the most significant steps the club has made in the growth of women’s football both in the club itself and the region.
“Bangor FC is a progressive club and is the perfect fit for what I currently want to achieve in my career. I want to now pass on my knowledge and experience in helping to promote up-and-coming players,” she declared on her appointment.
“I want to ensure girls and women in Bangor, and the surrounding area, are given opportunities to play football for their local hometown club. This is a key objective of the Board.
“I understand how ambitious and driven the current Board is at Bangor FC. Their honesty and enthusiasm was a huge draw for me to take this position, along with a blank canvas in regards to setting up the girls’ youth structure at the club.”
As someone who, in August 2019, was at Clandeboye Park for a Blues Challenge Cup semi-final with a starting XI comprising seven would-be representatives at the Women’s Euros during the summer, it could be said that this was a coup for Bangor. That has very much rung true in the months since.
April
No sooner than Bangor had faced the Roesiders at the Showgrounds than they were coming to visit Clandeboye Park.
It was honours even when the Seasiders hosted Limavady, with the in-form Hughes breaking the deadlock with two minutes to go – the former third-tier Player of the Season keeping up a track record of late goals – but an even later leveller from the Lims cut short celebrations.
Thereafter, the Yellows fell to a 2-0 loss at Crystal Park, as Frankie Wilson’s Banbridge Town completed a pre-split double over their fellow County Down opponents following a 0-1 win away from home in December the previous year.
Only one match remained of the pre-split, but it was a big one. Newington at home, with a spot at the top of the table at stake.
And it was to be a decisive half-hour strike from that man Arthurs that secured the hosts all three points. Entering the split after 20 matches, this industrious and gallant display guaranteed that Bangor were on top of the tree and with their fate entirely within their own hands. It was far from a done deal, however.
A winless first couple of post-split outings all but proved this point. First was a 2-2 draw at Dollingstown, in which the visitors were both behind and led, saw David Hume sent off for a goalline handball and witnessed Matty Anderson pull off penalty heroics from the subsequent spot-kick.
The second was Newington again, which turned out one of the worst displays the team has produced recent times. A 0-5 home defeat. Enough said. Please.
Then followed another loss, this time at Limavady on the north coast, to make it three winless. A 4-2 slump under miserable conditions, despite Jamie Glover’s sublime brace which had put Bangor ahead, left the supporters under the weather and Feeney and the players under serious pressure to turn the tide.
Meanwhile, competitive action for Bangor Ladies also started back, in the form of a 3-2 defeat against Armagh City in Division One.
By now the Ladies had some impressive new talent on their hands, with the recruits of Jodi Keenan and Lydia Clarke doing much to bolster the attacking ranks. Leah Robinson and Beth Sloan had found the net for the Seasiders here.
Featured image from Gary Carson.
- It’s unfair to put blame at feet of Linfield and Cliftonville for Irish Cup Final crowd disorder
A penny for the thoughts of Linfield and Cliftonville this week. This year’s Irish Cup Final was a spectacular in every sense. Nearly 15,000 packed inside Windsor Park for the biggest-attended domestic fixture in Northern Ireland this century and an occasion to… Read more: It’s unfair to put blame at feet of Linfield and Cliftonville for Irish Cup Final crowd disorder - Irish League chiefs must improve provisions in place to attract younger fans and families
Let’s get a basic fact of life out of the way first – no one likes a price hike. No one likes a price hike in the same way that no one likes paying taxes, bills, debts, insurance and other such necessary… Read more: Irish League chiefs must improve provisions in place to attract younger fans and families - How the Irish FA’s new ‘Conference Layer’ for intermediate football can be big hit or own goal
Changes to the intermediate football sphere in Northern Ireland have long been touted and, going by the Irish FA’s latest update on the topic, closer than ever to coming to fruition. From the 2026-27 campaign, a new ‘Conference Layer’ will be in… Read more: How the Irish FA’s new ‘Conference Layer’ for intermediate football can be big hit or own goal - Steven McCullough’s crucial goal in relegation play-off seals him as a Ballymena United great
There’s been a change in priorities for Ballymena United during recent years – albeit not necessarily the type supporters would’ve perhaps wanted. In 2019, the Braidmen were the second best team in the Irish League. Runners-up behind Linfield that year, and just… Read more: Steven McCullough’s crucial goal in relegation play-off seals him as a Ballymena United great - Ending Cliftonville’s Irish Cup drought proves Jim can fix it… now he must target league glory
Finally, it’s Cliftonville’s year in the Irish Cup. An agonising waiting game ends at last and a drought that lasted 45 painful years is over in one burst of champagne rain. Since 1979, the Reds have contrived to fail in various ways… Read more: Ending Cliftonville’s Irish Cup drought proves Jim can fix it… now he must target league glory
Make a one-time donation
Make a monthly donation
Make a yearly donation
Choose an amount
Or enter a custom amount
Your contribution is appreciated.
Your contribution is appreciated.
Your contribution is appreciated.
Football Chatters 
Leave a comment