On paper, this is a top-versus-bottom clash with a clear favourite – but there is more underlying that suggests Bangor would do well to keep their guard up. This weekend, in the Seasiders’ penultimate pre-split fixture, it is a trip to The Dub on the agenda where a fired-up and battling PSNI will hope to continue riding the crest of their momentum-filled wave.
The leaders, whose place at the summit for the split is assured, are now intent on consolidating as strong a position for the final five as possible. Two wins from two would make it a 12-point margin at worst before the PIL post-split begins next weekend, but as is the case in this league, every point must be earned – and, as a testament, the Police’s recent form in their fight against the drop indicates any away victory will require hard work.
The Yellows come into Saturday’s duel on the back of a creditable home draw with second-placed Queen’s University last week.
While impenetrability at Clandeboye Park has been dented – prior to kick-off six days ago, the home record was 10 wins from 10 without so much as one goal let in throughout the league this term – the 1-1 scoreline means no ground was lost.
Lewis Harrison’s sumptuous opener was cancelled out by the Students’ Ronan Young, who prodded beyond James Taylor to bag some of the spoils for his side.
But with Ballymacash Rangers, who need merely one more victory to lift above the academic institution into the play-off position, drawing by the same score away to Dollingstown on Tuesday night, it is not an outcome that will necessarily draw despondency. Midfielder Joshua Cahoon bagged the leveller for The ‘Cash, who travel to Banbridge Town on Easter Tuesday with fate in their hands in their final pre-split outing.
| Premier Intermediate | 8/4/23 | |
| Banbridge Town | vs | Limavady United |
| Moyola Park | vs* | Lisburn Distillery |
| PSNI | vs | Bangor |
| Tobermore United | vs | Dollingstown |
Meanwhile, Harrison, who has scored in successive fixtures for the first time in his senior career, will aim to make it third time lucky and set Bangor en route to a return to winning ways on Saturday.
Should three points be prised from south Belfast, the north Down pride would traverse to Fortwilliam Park knowing victory against temporary hosts Moyola Park assures them of a dozen-strong margin before the first split match-up.
But it is always easy to talk about these scenarios. Putting it into action is a much more testing challenge.
And ‘testing’ is quite an apt word when one dissects the fortitude the Police Service of Northern Ireland have shown of late.
This is a rescheduled joust, with the initial date of January 21 not coming to fruition when a late pitch inspection spelled out the need to find a refreshed arrangement.
With 14 days separating the official ‘Matchday 22’ from the start of the split, this interluding fortnight is being used to ensure all teams have played their full set of pre-split fixtures prior to the home stretch.
- Position – 12th-place
- Points – 11 (20 matches played)
- Goals scored – 22
- Goals conceded – 66
- Top scorer – Matthew Hanna, Tony Tumelty (four goals)
- Clean sheets – one (Tom Hegan)
The Police have already fulfilled one of their catch-up clashes. Recently, they were in action in midweek and turned heads after spectacularly overturning a two-goal deficit to despatch Banbridge Town.
Main marksman Stephen McCavitt had given the Crystal Park outfit a two-goal lead inside the opening 15 minutes, but three strikes – two you can certainly place in the ‘wonder strike’ category – from Henry Capper, Rory McLaughlan and Tony Tumelty capped off a stunning comeback triumph that takes the Newforge-associated club within six points of safety.
History lesson:
Bangor boast a good recent record against PSNI, with all four clashes between the teams in the past two years resulting in Seasider success. Ben Arthurs’ brace to snatch a 2-1 triumph early last term was followed up by a Jordan Hughes-inspired 0-3 success at The Dub, while a Co Antrim Shield first-round victory and the earlier 2-0 win in October 2022 round off proceedings. Image from Sarah Harkness.
Glenn Taggart’s men have moved north of the single-digit barrier. Now on 11 points, nine of those have been banked in the last five games.
An important victory over Armagh City directly above them five weeks ago was followed up by a thumping 4-1 defeat of Dollingstown – although their success over The Town proved a welcome return to winning ways after suffering reverses at the hands of Moyola Park and Lisburn Distillery, shipping five in each.
Form guide (PIL last five):
- 4/4/23 – PSNI 3-2 Banbridge Town
- 1/4/23 – PSNI 2-5 Lisburn Distillery
- 25/3/23 – Moyola Park 5-0 PSNI
- 21/3/23 – PSNI 4-1 Dollingstown
- 4/3/23 – Armagh City 2-3 PSNI
PSNI can curiously call on a lot of people who know the Bangor way, too. No fewer than five former Seasiders are in their playing camp.
In addition to Tumelty, both the most recent Reserves captains on the seaside – right backs Ben Gordon and Tim Millar-Wilson – are now members of Taggart’s panel, while 20-year-old midfield ace Louis Blackstock and experienced hero of the Centenary season Ben Roy are also at the Carrick Rangers legend’s disposal.
Gordon (21), who has plied his trade at centre back too, is the son of Bangor manager Lee Feeney’s charismatic assistant coach Dean, but the two will be on opposite sides when the first ball is kicked on Dub Lane. Reserves Manager’s Player of the Year last campaign Millar-Wilson (20) linked up in January, while the dynamic Blackstock is a key presence in the engine room with two goals in his last four outings.
Player to watch:
Supporters of a not-too-distant vintage will remember with fondness the contributions of Ben Roy in booking Bangor their place back in Irish League football. A leading marksman with an eye for goal, the 34-year-old has a killer eye from range and the hold-up qualities to create chances for others; 11 goals and 18 assists in that iconic title-winning 2018/19 term tells you all you need to know. Image from Gary Carson.
Among the club scoring charts, Tumelty (four) and Blackstock (three) both rank highly, with the former pegging even with long-standing standalone top goal-getter Matthew Hanna in the week.
Equally rising to the fore alongside the popular Blackstock – he was handed his senior debut by Feeney and was at times also deployed as part of a back-three in yellow and blue – are Billy Cassells (20) and Capper (30), who have found their luck to be brimming in front of goal.
There is a plethora of players in the home team who can cause problems for opponents. In the reverse meeting back at October’s tail end, a stern defensive block took Feeney’s troops all of 60 minutes to finally break down as Adam Neale blasted home the deadlock-breaker.
Ben Arthurs bundled home a second shortly before the end to seal a valuable 2-0 win on a rain-drenched autumn night. Dry conditions, mercifully, are expected this time around as a slippery ball and surface made the first game hard going.
The sun certainly may not shine on Bangor if they approach this the wrong way, though, as gallantry is an attribute in abundance about the team which changed its name to PSNI in line with the Police Service’s own alteration from the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC).
Indeed, Feeney’s analysis of the display against Queen’s was really rather scathing.
“Our attacking play was really, really poor,” fumed the Kilkeel supremo to Neil Watson in this week’s County Down Spectator. “We only created one clear-cut chance and that was in the first half. Everything else, including our goal, were shots from distance or half-chances.
“We only created one clear-cut chance and that was in the first half”
Bangor manager Lee Feeney opined that there was a lack of incisive creativity when the Seasiders hosted Queen’s University last Saturday
“It’s probably the most disappointed I have been this season with our performance.
“We just couldn’t keep possession or link up play when we went forward. Our passages of play were a bit frantic and we looked panicked, and that’s not like us at all.
“Our deliveries and set-pieces weren’t up to scratch either.”
The former Ards assistant continued: “We know what is ahead of us and what we have to do, but we must get past PSNI first this weekend.
“It’s probably the most disappointed I have been this season with our performance”
Bangor manager Lee Feeney was unhappy with the display as he reflected on last week’s 1-1 draw at home to Queen’s University
“I thought we looked quite leggy and tired across the pitch last Saturday. Some of them have maybe played too much football recently and were a bit fatigued, so we will take that into consideration with how we train this week.”
Such quotes are the type you make when you want to re-light the flame – and Feeney, who celebrates three years steering the ship soon, will not want any relenting from Bangor in a crucial stretch.
10 points will mathematically guarantee the title. The eyes are right on the prize.
Unlikely goal hero Harrison has had his shooting boots on recently, and the captain supreme has previous against this opposition.
His strike versus Tobermore United followed a trend of breaking law and order. Both his goals in his current colours up to that point had came against sides managed by Andrew Law – he opened the scoring away to the Reds chief’s Limavady United in March 2022 – and he had a further finish disallowed last December at Mullaghacall when the Seasiders ultimately conquered Johnny Law’s Portstewart.
Meanwhile, prior to making the switch to Co Down and lacing his boots for what was then a Hugh Sinclair-helmed Bangor, the final time the once Linfield Swifts ace found the net for Harland and Wolff Welders was on a trip to the PSNI.
Conveniently, as a team-mate of Ben Arthurs since his recruit in early 2020, it was the Kircubbin favourite’s esteemed older brother Ross that he shared the scoresheet with on November 30, 2019.
Could fate be destined to repeat itself?
On the youngest Arthurs sibling’s current form, it is not unfeasible. A hot streak of six goals in three third-tier games prior to last Saturday shot the striker to the league’s goalscoring summit – Limavady’s Alex Pomeroy has, though, evened up with the Peninsula hero on 16 league goals, making for a pulsating battle – while the elder Neale is still hot on his heels.
The one-time Amateur League punisher has delivered one goal in his last quartet of appearances. That qualifies as a drought in his book and it is expected to light his fire when he tackles the turf.
Penalty-box predator:
Adam Neale (left) will be keen to make his devastating close-range finishing felt on PSNI. A study of his most recent goals will tell you that his best work has been done inside the box, with strikes from inside the six-yard area against both Dollingstown and Limavady United in the last six weeks. Image from Sarah Harkness.
As fixtures in hand are made up for in advance of a sprint to the finish line throughout April, that does not mean stones will be left unturned.
Now is a time of opportunity. An opportunity that, as Feeney will insist, must be availed of as best as can be.
Meanwhile, Bangor Reserves are at home this Saturday when Lisburn Distillery will make the trip to Clandeboye Park.
Following a chastening 5-0 loss at Championship/PIL Development League, Section B leaders Warrenpoint Town, there is no need to reinforce the desire the second string will have to secure a welcome return to winning ways when they entertain the Whites in the morning.
“At one point I had two at the back and everyone else camped in the opposition half”
Bangor Reserves boss David Downes on the tale of the Seasiders’ 2-2 draw away to Lisburn Distillery in February
In the last meeting of the sides in late February, a 2-2 draw was played out in Ballyskeagh which left David Downes in a down mood.
“It was frustrating,” admitted the Under-20s boss.
“At one point I had two at the back and everyone else camped in the opposition half, we put the pressure on but we just couldn’t find the net. I was really disappointed in the end.”
These two will get to know each other well. This is the second of four clashes of the heritage institutions; following this Saturday’s meet, they face off again in a fortnight with Bangor at home once more before the final day of the campaign (May 25) sees the teams clash at New Grosvenor. Of six games remaining in the league season for those in yellow and blue, precisely half will be against Distillery.
A home success would mean Downes’ troops could lift as high as second-place – their most realistic target with The ‘Point likely to surge to title glory by this point – and enhance their bid for a strong end to a promising season.
A testing assignment with the opportunity to lift to 39 points beckons. Kick-off at Clandeboye Park at 11pm.
In the Seasider 200 Draw undertaken at the weekend, Donald Ward emerged with the quarterly prize of £200.
The winner of the Seasider 200 Draw was revealed ahead of last Saturday’s fixture against Queen’s University. Video from Bangor FC media.
Revealed by this month’s drawmaster Neil Watson, Donald’s luck was in as he claimed the maximum reward. If you would like to be in with a shout of winning some cash every month while supporting the club, you can put your name in the hat by following the enclosed link.
Finally, Bangor Football Club joins Northern Ireland football in mourning the sad loss of young winger Aodhán Gillen.
The attacker, who was on loan at Championship club Dundela from Carrick Rangers, passed away on Thursday morning. A former Newington star who scored a sublime winning goal in the 2021 Steel and Sons Cup Final before later helping the north Belfast club to victory in the Premier Intermediate League, Gillen’s gift was such that it was no shock to see him earn a move to Premiership Carrick in the summer of 2022.
A talented footballer and above all an impressive personality which was documented in his time across all three divisions of the Irish League.
The club’s thoughts are with Aodhán’s family, friends and all who knew him throughout his club career and in life at this time of grief.
Featured image from Sarah Harkness.
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