The second in a mini-catalogue of three successive home fixtures in the Premier Intermediate League, Bangor aim to bolster their promotion credentials even more this Saturday as they roll out the red carpet for Portstewart at Clandeboye Park. Knowing that only a point is required to take top spot, Lee Feeney and his charges will have their sights set on all three, aspiring to back up their victory in the Friday night bash with Ballymacash Rangers last week with full spoils here.
The Seahawks promise to be a sticky obstacle, however, and total success would certainly make the long trip from the north coast worth their while. Hunting a top-half finish in a race seemingly headed right down to the wire, they will have a spring in their step in their push to put a dent in their hosts’ hitherto perfect home league record. But the Seasiders’ persistence has, all the same, been a hallmark of their exploits all season.
Following that 2-0 defeat of The ‘Cash seven days ago, all of a Bangor persuasion knew they had booked a precious win.
Now perched on 37 points, the Yellows joined the west Lisburn side on top of the pile – and with the promoted team not in action this weekend, they can take first-place outright with at least a draw on Saturday.
Adam Neale and Ben Arthurs found the net with headers either side of half time to ensure the fruits of victory stayed in Clandeboye Park.
But such results in isolation do not win you titles, and manager Feeney will have drilled the message home that the best way to showcase the importance of that scoreline is to follow it up with another victory.
Bangor’s trip to Mullaghacall in mid-December was a worthwhile one, with a pleasing result at a tricky venue.
Adam Neale’s close-range finish with just two minutes played had given the Seasiders an early lead, only for a mix-up in defence to gift Portstewart’s Paul Doherty a simple leveller.
But a second Neale strike from the penalty spot after teenage Seahawks shot-stopper Conor Henry had upended Cliftonville loanee Seanna Foster delivered the visiting side a 1-2 victory that, on the balance of play, was a fair outcome.
On the conclusion of that affair, Feeney was simply glad to prise the maximum reward out of Seahaven and back up the road.
“At this stage of the season, it’s all about getting the three points,” the Kilkeel supremo affirmed after the game.
“Getting the performance is good but it’s about the points that move you up the table.”
With frost and ice writing off much of the planned fixture programme that day, it marked an occasion taken advantage of.
The eyes are now freshly cast to repeating the feat of last season and assuring a league double over this opposition.
In both of last season’s showdowns with the north west institution, Karl Devine found the net – he scored the game’s only goal on the away day in September, as well as the third in a 3-1 victory at Clandeboye Park near March’s end.
They account for both the former Dundela man’s league goals since joining Bangor in the summer of 2021, but having cracked the upright with a distance piledriver last week, there is no doubt the Belfast maestro will have his eyes set on goal when he takes to the pitch next.
Any finish would be his first since he rammed home from range against Queen’s University in the Irish Cup first round back in mid-August, and first in the third-tier for 11 months since he backed up earlier Mark Cooling and Reece Neale strikes to help submerge their next opponents.
History lesson:
Bangor have faced Portstewart five times since returning to the Premier Intermediate League in 2019, and after the Seahawks won home and away in the curtailed 2019/20 campaign that they ended unbeaten, the Yellows claimed victory in each of the last three meetings – most recently at Mullaghacall on the 10th December. Image from Sarah Harkness.
Johnny Law’s Seahawks sit eighth-place, with 17 points from 16 league matches.
A 0-2 home reverse to Banbridge Town a fortnight ago cut short a two-game winning run having defeated each of Tobermore United (2-3) and PSNI (1-2) immediately prior.
Despite nine defeats in the third-flight for the club who added silverware in the form of the Craig Memorial Cup at the tail end of 2021, they have tended to run their opponents close with five of their losses being only by the odd goal – Bangor’s result in the first meeting inclusive.
In terms of threats in their arsenal, they possess two standout goalscorers in their camp, with Doherty (six) and Ryan Campbell (five) chipping in exactly half of their 22-goal total.
- Position – eighth-place
- Points – 17 (16 matches played)
- Goals scored – 22
- Goals conceded – 29
- Top scorer – Ryan Doherty (six goals)
- Clean sheets – three (all with Conor Henry)
30-year-old Doherty, who converted routinely in that first duel on 17 minutes when an off-his-line James Taylor and defender David Hume were pipped to the post on a loose ball in the build-up, has tended to lead the line and is a different type of front-man to incumbent Ballymacash focal-point Zach Barr before.
Campbell (29) has struck four times since the start of December, including in their victory over Tobermore where he marked the scoresheet alongside long servant Doherty.
Another stalwart in midfield, the manager’s son Glenn Law (25), has three, and forwards Joel Bradley (28) and Jordan Hassan (23) each have two. There are several ways they are able to find the net, and with talents like 17-year-old duo Henry and Taylor McBride in the spine, there is resolve to be found with three clean sheets upheld by the former.
Bangor will hope their inspirational home form comes up trumps once more and the defence shuts these dangers out.
Player to watch:
Statistically their biggest goal threat in league play and with a goal against Bangor already to his name this season, Ryan Doherty will be out to lead Portstewart’s charge at Clandeboye Park and add to his six league goals this term. Image from Gavin Maxwell.
The Seasiders have achieved victories to nil in every PIL match at Clandeboye Park so far, a proud record they will want to extend even further.
And with the respective goal tallies in all competitions of strike-pair Neale and Arthurs bumped up to 18 and 20 across all competitions, both line-leaders look in fine fettle having also each netted against Armagh City the previous week.
“I feel we have bigger, stronger personalities in the dressing room who will make sure no one takes their eye off the ball”
Lee Feeney to Neil Watson in this week’s Country Down Spectator
The other scorer against the Eagles, Reece Neale, turned provider when he set up Arthurs with a delicious cross on 83 minutes.
Remarkably, that props the Ballynahinch left wing-back’s assist total to 13 for the current campaign. His creativity has proved invaluable to Feeney, playing a key role within the favoured setup, and with six finishes where he himself has put the cherry on top, he will hope to inflict further pain on the pale blue outfit as well.
Feeney admitted his focus switched speedily to this showdown as soon as last Friday’s spectacle – where an official attendance of just under 800 was recorded – was completed.
“Compared to last season, I feel we have bigger, stronger personalities in the dressing room who will make sure no one takes their eye off the ball,” he told Neil Watson in this week’s County Down Spectator.
“As soon as I was on my way home from Friday night’s match, I was straight away thinking about how we will line up against Portstewart and what we need to do to ensure we get another three points.
“I’ll maybe look at freshening up the team because there are boys on the sideline waiting for their opportunity and those in the starting team know they need to be on top of their game to keep their place.”
The manager also admitted that despite the jubilation of victory against The ‘Cash, he felt parts of the performance left something to be desired.
“The main thing was the result but if I’m being honest, I’m a bit disappointed with how we played,” stated the former Linfield and Rangers ace.
“We weren’t at our best across the 90 minutes and I thought we could have put on a real show in front of a massive crowd.
“We were in total control of the game and the result was never in doubt but we didn’t put on a five-star performance that we could, and should, have done.
“The penalty was a poor one to concede, we should have cleared the danger before the foul was committed. I had no argument with it being given, I don’t think the referee had any other choice. That could have been a game-changing moment but thankfully for us, James Taylor did the business and kept out the spot-kick. James has been brilliant in the last few weeks and has made some really big saves at crucial times recently.
“Our creativity on the night was lacking, and I know I set high standards and ask a lot of the boys, but I just thought we could have done more.”
The ability of the playing panel to refocus as the big games pile up has been vital behind such a succession of strong results, and Feeney has made clear that he will not tolerate any slip-ups in standard come 3pm on Saturday.
| Premier Intermediate | 25/2/23 | |
| Banbridge Town | vs | Moyola Park |
| Bangor | vs | Portstewart |
| Limavady United | vs | Dollingstown |
| PSNI | vs | Queen’s University |
| Tobermore United | vs | Lisburn Distillery |
It will have concerned the boss to see Devine hobble off, and he will hope the 27-year-old is not on the treatment table for too extended a period of time, but Aaron Harris’ stability is a sign of the depth the 44-year-old has at his disposal.
Backup goalkeeper Marc Orbinson has been on the mend after being hit with an arm injury at the start of the month, while a training knock suffered by defender Ryley D’Sena was a late setback ahead of last Friday. Both players could return to the matchday squad for this weekend.
Either way, whatever team Feeney lines out, he expects his players to be up to the task from the first whistle – Stewart Long officiates Bangor for the fifth time this season, last overseeing the abandoned game against Banbridge Town in mid-December – and to secure the points in a professional manner.
40 points is often synonymous with safety and survival. Here, it would represent consolidation more than anything.
Meanwhile, in Section B of the Championship/PIL Development League, Bangor Reserves are on their travels as they look to return to winning ways.
The second string travel to face Lisburn Distillery on Saturday having claimed only one point of the last nine available, and given the top four sides in the league are presently split by just six points, there is a distinct sense of every victory being precious in the push for the title.
After being defeated at home to Warrenpoint Town last Saturday – allowing the border club to rise above the Seasiders into third-place in the table – the Under-20s can, for a couple of days at least, provisionally wrestle back that spot with a success and prop their points mark up to 31.
David Downes’ troops will hope to lay down the gauntlet from the outset when the match kicks off at 11am.
Featured image from Sarah Harkness.
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