Bangor’s fine recent run was prolonged on Tuesday night, securing a handsome 4-0 success over Banbridge Town to keep the pace at the top of the Premier Intermediate League. A fixture that was re-scheduled after the first duel was abandoned amid a drastic post-sunset temperature dip, the heat was on for the Seasiders at Clandeboye Park as a four-star display propped the points tally up three more to 31 after 11 matches.
With the active win streak up to nine matches in all competitions, confidence continues to flow in spades around the camp, with both clubs also taking the chance to remember the popular and decorated Frankie Wilson alongside his family and friends – special guests to the ground – before the game kicked off. To say that it was all plain-sailing would be unfair, but manager Lee Feeney would not have had much cause for complaint.
Compared to the chilly afternoon that this outing was set against the first time around, there was a much milder backdrop to this battle under the floodlights.
10 days on from beating Moyola Park in horrible conditions to rise to 28 points, the opportunity to lift above the 30-point mark – and potentially top the table – was presented to the hosts in this evening showdown.
Hoping to build some awaited winning momentum, The Town would have had aspirations of their own to deliver a performance to be proud of.
10th-placed going into this joust and possessing eight points from their nine prior league ties, a succession of third-tier away days that extended to five-in-a-row with their journey to North Down, combined with having games in hand on virtually every team in the division, rather disguises the capabilities of this red and black-coloured side to do damage.
In the hope of avoiding an upset on home soil, Feeney decided on a handful of switches to help get the job done.
Reece Neale was restored to the starting line-up as expected, replacing Gareth Beattie at left wing-back, while the unavailability of Ballynahinch favourite Neale’s brother Adam meant Jordan Hughes entered to join Ben Arthurs as a strike-pair. The third and final change saw captain Lewis Harrison return to the midfield after illness ruled him out against The Park, starting in place of Dylan O’Kane who was named as a substitute.
As for Banbridge, having pulled out late in the first iteration of this clash, top scorer Stephen McCavitt was in from the start to provide inspiration up top. Boss Simon Nicks knows that he can count on the 25-year-old’s penchant for causing disruption among defences; he was set up as the focal point of attack here.
Ahead of kick-off, representatives of Bangor, including chairman Graham Bailie and first-team assistant coach Dean Gordon, presented the family and friends of Frankie Wilson with a Seasiders shirt.
The match was free of charge, but supporters were richly encouraged to donate in memory of the late Wilson, a former manager of both clubs and a distinctly uniting figure. Presently, over £1,500 has been raised to support the family’s charity of choice, AMMF, of which £1,090 was through the turnstiles last night. The UK’s only charity dedicated to cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer), all proceeds are going towards a very good cause.
And you can still contribute through the enclosed JustGiving link remembering the 2011 Steel and Sons Cup-winning chief.
Referee Niall Devlin – overseeing his third fixture involving Bangor in 2023 already – set the ball rolling promptly at 8:00pm.
It was the visitors’ Conor Downey to kick off, but two chances within the first 120 seconds of the match both fell the hosts’ direction.
With 40 seconds gone, Scott McArthur’s cross from the right byline was guided just wide of the bottom left by the centralised Neale – positioned more where you would expect to see his elder sibling – before Hughes struck over the bar from the left channel 60 seconds later.
It was Banbridge’s turn to threaten as with five minutes played, shot-stopper James Taylor pulled off a superb parry to deny Stephen McCavitt’s side-footed attempt from five yards. The other McCavitt, Michael, drew another save from the experienced ex-Glenavon goalkeeper with 13 minutes gone as The Town surged forward on the counter.
A right-footed curler from the younger McCavitt, eyeing a first strike this term and trying to catch up with five-goal Stephen who is three years his senior, was a case in point of an end-to-end opening to this encounter.
The pendulum swung once more when on 20 minutes, Bangor – attacking the Clandeboye Road end – called Lewis Hunter into action at his near post to claim McArthur’s driven attempt. Recovering after a subsequent set-piece was initially cleared, Harrison whipped the ball deliciously back into the danger area, although as he connected to a loose ball, Hughes could not keep his effort down as it bobbled in front of him.
On 26 minutes, former Dundela ace Hughes was clearly in the mood for goals when a dipping drive from outside the area rose inches above the bar. However, on 37 minutes, the line-leader, a Player of the Year in this flight with the Duns, finally got what he was looking for.
A Neale corner from the left was headed goal-bound by Ryan Arthur, drawing a sharp hand from Hunter albeit from a shot too hot to claim. His parry fell into the path of 31-year-old Hughes, who placed a follow-up header into the net from five yards out – an instinctive finish for his first in the PIL this season.
“Goals help you build confidence and it’s just good to hit the mark”
Jordan Hughes
It was sharp reflexes from the 22-year-old Hunter but, from his point of view, not quite enough. He got a two-handed grip on 44 minutes, however, when Arthurs guided his aerial attempt into the keeper’s arms from Hughes’ delivery.
Devlin opted not to play any additional time at the end of the regulation time. The half ended with the hosts holding the cards.
When both sides re-entered 15 minutes later for the start of the second stanza unchanged, there must have been confidence from both Feeney and Nicks that their troops still had the artillery to strike further blows.
From the Kilkeel supremo’s perspective, though, he would have been glad to see his boys keep a grip on their higher vantage point.
55 minutes had been played when the Yellows doubled their lead. From a Neale throw-in, Arthur again got the first connection and, where he had indirectly set the opener up, he had the final say on this occasion. By the near-post, the Carrickfergus centre back, emulating what he had done against Lisburn Distillery three weeks ago, converted from a set-piece with Hunter’s hands not able to keep his header out.
And in the time taken to read the last paragraph, with Arthur having notched his fourth goal of the season – six is his season-high in a Bangor shirt – it was made three. McArthur’s cut inside fashioned a powerful right-footed shot that was spilled by Hunter, and first on the scene was Arthurs who pumped in his 17th of this season from close range.
A 3-0 lead established with two goals in a minute, and the home panel weren’t content to rest on their laurels.
Lively local lad McArthur again appeared a threat when he cut back across the goal-face on 62 minutes, but the 23-year-old’s supply was a tad too close to an alert Hunter and just ahead of Kircubbin hero Arthurs.
67 minutes had elapsed when the woodwork was not to prove the friend of the hosts – firing towards the Hawthorne Court end this half – with Hughes weighting his pass optimally for Seanna Foster to latch to. The Cliftonville loanee rifled at goal, but Hunter’s fingertips pushed the 25-year-old’s drive onto the inside of the post, agonisingly bouncing away to leave the energetic right wing-back still in search of his second goal of the campaign.
The Seagulls swooped at goal once more through substitute Jamie Glover, who lobbed over on 72 minutes, before Arthurs was next to see the post work against him when the punisher – now just eight goals away from 100 in yellow and blue – used his head to send it goalwards.
The upright wasn’t just unkind to Bangor, though. On 76 minutes, Banbridge came within inches of an inroad back into the contest when Stephen McCavitt’s header bounced back towards him off the bar. Taylor was back-tracking, but this slight preservation of his clean sheet would have drawn a sigh of relief in contrast to the hands on heads of those in red and black stripes.
The Seasiders would still find a way to seal it, mind. With one minute of regulation remaining, O’Kane surfaced from the bench to supply an inswinging ball from the left, finding his fellow substitute Ryley D’Sena at the edge of the six-yard area. Where the teenage Australian had come within millimetres of a 35-yard piledriver against Tandragee Rovers, the Larne loanee was at last to hit the mark with a well-guided header into the net.
Devlin played a handful more minutes at the end before calling time on proceedings. Four goals, four scorers and a fourth successive shut-out.
Feeney’s soldiers had bore the victory fruits. A 10th league win out of 11 and the pressure kept up at the summit as desired.
With full honours in each of the Clandeboye clan’s last nine in all competitions, and previous seven in the league, repeat successes are providing the medicine to push on toward the ultimate aim of securing promotion.
Post-match, Jordan Hughes shed an insight on his feelings. He bagged his first PIL goal of the season and first in all competitions in over four months.
He stated: “Mate, to be honest, it’s the same as any I guess – goals help you build confidence and it’s just good to hit the mark and help the team win.
“It’s been a stop-start season for me, but right now, I feel fit, strong and healthy, I’ve been happy enough with my play lately and it’s good just to build up a bit of momentum.
“Hopefully I can keep it up (with a goal on Saturday).”
“Right now, I feel fit, strong and healthy”
Jordan Hughes
Positivity was abound in the marksman’s tone, an upbeat sense that he is keen to make his presence felt in the run-in.
Turning 32 at the end of this month, Hughes, who joined last winter, is not a player in his twilight, and his qualities are much-sought by Feeney. In Adam Neale’s absence, he was able to step up to the plate, and with Tobermore United next up, he will hope to feast on goals again.
| Premier Intermediate | 24/1/23 | ||
| Ballymacash Rangers | 4 | 2 | Dollingstown |
| Bangor | 4 | 0 | Banbridge Town |
| Moyola Park | 2 | 1 | Portstewart |
Any finish from any player is of value to the team. To have four goalscorers on Tuesday was a plus-point, as was an 18th clean sheet of this term which has been much-celebrated by the goalkeepers and defence.
The task now is to keep that vein flowing at Fortwilliam Park this Saturday afternoon (2pm kick-off). Wins and points.
Meanwhile, Bangor Reserves are in derby action this Wednesday night against Ards II, the second meeting of the regional rivals in four days as they prepare to do battle at Londonderry Park.
Davy Downes’ boys secured a 3-0 victory on Saturday morning, with goals by Jake Anderson, Sonny Redford and Kristian Trainor presenting the Seasiders with a chance of completing a swift double as well as strengthening their grip on 3rd-place in the table.
Kick-off in Newtownards is at 8:15pm, and all support is much appreciated.
Featured image from Jordan Connolly/Life Through A Lens NI.
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