Another season has come and gone, and this term proved to be one of Bangor’s all-time greats on the back of securing a second league-and-cup double in the span of four years. Many memorable moments were delivered that will be as cherished by the players as they will the supporters, and a 70-point Premier Intermediate League crusade was added to by Steel and Sons Cup glory and a famous journey to the last-16 of the Irish Cup.
As one can perhaps imagine, this is a group of players that are serious about claiming as many stat-lines in their favour as possible. Many very noteworthy stat-lines were recorded for this campaign and battles for supremacy in each department occurred all over the pitch, be it in the rear-guard or at the top end. Here, therefore, is a comprehensive investigation into how the north Down pride performed in a promotion-clinching push.
Top goalscorer:
- Ben Arthurs – 31 (3 penalties)
- Adam Neale – 27 (1 penalty)
- Jamie Glover, Reece Neale – 6
For the fourth time in a competitive campaign, Ben Arthurs has ended up as Bangor’s goalscorer supreme. And on a second occasion, he has bagged 30 strikes or more in a title-winning quest.
After notching up 38 finishes when the Seasiders achieved their step-up from the Ballymena and Provincial Intermediate League – with 27 of those coming in league play – the Kircubbin line-leader, who earlier this week celebrated his 25th birthday, hit 31 en route to double-clinching delight four years on from that triumphant Season 100 adventure.
A crucial leveller in a glorious Christmas cup Final, a goal on national television against Premiership Crusaders in the Irish Cup – as it transpired, the only one Stephen Baxter’s men would ship on their way to a successful retention of the trophy – and two hat-tricks, including one at Dollingstown that propelled him beyond the 100-finish mark in yellow and blue.
One stand-out moment for Bangor was when holders and eventual 2023 Irish Cup winners Crusaders came to visit. The game was broadcast live on BBC iPlayer, and striker Ben Arthurs showed strength and composure to slide beyond the Premiership big-hitters’ goalkeeper Jonny Tuffey in the second half and give the Seasiders a moment in the spotlight. Image from Gary Carson.
With 25 scoring games, it is no big shock that he leads in this metric too. He is a player for the big occasion and one who has never shirked from taking the goal-getting mantle for the Yellows.
Despite the best efforts of new arrival Adam Neale, ‘Big Ben’ keeps his crown as Bangor’s goal king for another term.
Top scorer (Premier Intermediate League):
- Ben Arthurs, Adam Neale – 20
- Ryan Arthur – 5
- Jamie Glover – 4
Mind you, it still proved a bit of a scramble for Peninsula favourite Arthurs to take his place on top of the PIL pedestal. That was thanks in large part to the exploits of 29-year-old Neale, whose arrival from Rathfriland ignited a new flame in Bangor’s attacking intent.
Despite three third-tier matchdays having already been when the deadly front-man debuted, he wasted no time in getting started. Arriving fresh on the back of sealing two trophies at Iveagh Park – namely the Amateur League, where he finished as the league’s top scorer on 26, and the Intermediate Cup – his last-second equaliser at Ballymacash Rangers blazed a trail for what was to follow.
Adam Neale‘s first season at Bangor has proved about as resoundingly successful as could have been hoped for, with the striker finding the net 20 times in league play to inspire the Seasiders to the Premier Intermediate League crown. To add to that, the Ballynahinch marksman was also the top scorer in the club’s victorious endeavour in the Steel and Sons Cup, including the winner in the Final against Dunmurry Rec. Image from Sarah Harkness.
As it happened, Adam found the net in 23 of his 29 outings in yellow and blue. 20 of his 27 goals were delivered in a league setting, and his 79.3% percentage of games scored in tops the charts in that department.
With a second league-and-cup double in a row to look back on, the Ballynahinch marksman is quite acquainted to silverware of late and he will not want that sensation to stop any time soon.
Defender Ryan Arthur, with his five goals coupled with a quintet of assists, has assured himself of second-place in the rankings after returning from Ballyclare Comrades during the summer. 10 goal involvements – all in the league – for a centre-back is quite the tally to attain and, like Arthurs, he too has his third and fourth trophies in the famous yellow kit.
Top scorer (Steel and Sons Cup):
- Adam Neale – 6
- Ben Arthurs – 5
- Reece Neale – 3
During six rounds of the Steel and Sons Cup, it was Adam Neale to edge on top during the whole victorious endeavour.
A hat-trick versus Albert Foundry at the quarter-final stage, plus the match-winner in the Christmas Eve decider against Dunmurry Rec, ensure that his indelible mark has been left. He assisted Jamie Glover’s curled stunner in the semi-final showdown with Ballymacash, too.
Arthurs was on the mark with one goal in each of the five rounds he played in. A six-week absence prior to the decider – he did not play a single second between going off with an ankle blow against Albert Foundry and his introduction as a substitute versus Dan Thornton’s team – did not deter the front-man from finding the net just five minutes after entering the fray.
Dylan O’Kane had his shooting boots on at Glenkeen Avenue, with a couple of well-taken goals coming amid eight unanswered in Bangor’s biggest win of the campaign. Both he and Reece Neale converted braces against Greenisland, with Ben Arthurs, Ally Ferguson, Jamie Glover and Scott McArthur on target in a 0-8 victory against the Amateur League Division 1C squadron. Image from Gary Carson.
Meanwhile, Reece Neale netted three times, namely a brace against Greenisland and a bruising finish versus the Glens Reserves. Jamie Glover raised the roof in producing a couple of stunners against the east Antrim men and in the semi-final at Seaview versus The ‘Cash, and Dylan O’Kane also netted twice in that second-round clinic at Glenkeen Avenue.
Top scorer (Irish Cup):
- Ben Arthurs – 6
- Scott McArthur – 3
- Jordan Hughes, Karl Devine, Tom Mathieson, David Hume, Michael Halliday, Seanna Foster – 1
Bangor played from rounds one to six in the Irish Cup, making it all the way to the last-16 before the Crues came away from Clandeboye Park with a 1-2 win.
With Adam Neale ineligible – he was cup-tied on the back of featuring in the first set of fixtures for Rathfriland in August, and so unable to don a yellow and blue shirt in this setting – this proved difference-making for Arthurs, who recorded half a dozen strikes in Ireland’s oldest footballing cup competition. A hat-trick against Tandragee Rovers, plus the second-half deficit-cutter on facing the Hatchetmen, played no small part as four of the six he found came in 2023.
Scott McArthur‘s finishing touch tended to be at its clearest when tackling the Irish Cup, with the attacking midfielder – who completed a second league-and-cup double in the colours of Bangor this campaign – delivering three of his five strikes this season throughout the Seasiders’ endeavour in the tournament. This included goals against Strabane Athletic, Belfast Celtic and Tandragee Rovers. Image from Jordan Connolly/Life Through A Lens NI.
Scott McArthur also seemed to find his shooting boots most apparently in this context. He delivered five finishes in total, of which three were in the Irish Cup.
The 23-year-old was on target as a sub versus Strabane Athletic and Tandragee, while his early goal from the start set the ball rolling against Belfast Celtic too.
Top scorer (Intermediate Cup):
- Michael Halliday – 2
- Adam Neale – 1
In the Intermediate Cup, Bangor’s adventure may only have lasted for a couple of rounds, but Michael Halliday’s tide-turning brace at Albert Foundry stands out as a particularly memorable moment.
Three minutes deep into added time, he powered home a Seanna Foster cross to force extra time at Paisley Park, where he then added his second having slid in Jamie Glover’s low delivery.
Minutes per goal leaders (all competitions):
- Ben Arthurs – 83.4 minutes
- Adam Neale – 87.2 minutes
- Michael Halliday – 219.5 minutes
If you take 90 minutes as a guideline for a goal a game, for Bangor to have two under that mark is really outstanding.
And, with four finishes – that aforementioned brace at Foundry, the deadlock-breaker in an Irish Cup fourth-round trip to Limavady United and the opener in a crunch clash away to Queen’s University – the evergreen Halliday continues to display that class really is permanent.
Top assister:
- Reece Neale – 15
- Ben Arthurs – 11
- Aaron Harris, Seanna Foster – 7
Manager Lee Feeney’s favoured system this season has featured three centre-backs and wing-backs outside. It is a system where width is a key component and shape calling on the wide men to carry a lot of the chance-creating burden.
22 set-ups between the two flankers in the system would suggest that they have lived up to that billing.
From the left, Reece Neale has been a constant outlet, while opposite him to the right, Seanna Foster’s loan arrival from Cliftonville delivered fresh impetus and energy that helped the Seasiders on their way. Establishing themselves as two of the league’s finest crossers, it proved a fruitful avenue for the likes of Ben Arthurs and Adam Neale to feast on in the box.
With 22 assists between them, the wing-back partnership between Reece Neale and Seanna Foster has been a particularly fruitful one for Bangor this season. Reece chipped in with 15 to finish as top assist-maker, of which 10 were in a league setting, while Seanna contributed seven from the right and endeared himself as a fan favourite. Image from Jordan Connolly/Life Through A Lens NI.
Arthurs, indeed, marked himself out as the only man in the Bangor squad to seal double-digit tallies for goals and assists – all told, that is 42 goals and assists in just 34 appearances for the PIL Player of the Year – while a splurge from Aaron Harris in the second half of the campaign propped him up to seven by the end.
Six of former Lisburn Distillery skipper Harris’ direct supplies for goals came in an eight-game spell from the end of February to the middle of April, where the midfielder put his name on the stat-sheet against Portstewart, Tobermore United, Banbridge Town and Moyola Park. Coming at a particularly crucial point in the campaign, and fresh on the back of a season-ending ankle injury for first-team mainstay Karl Devine, the Belfast-based maestro set himself up as one who turns up when his contributions are needed most.
Top assister (Premier Intermediate League):
- Reece Neale – 10
- Aaron Harris – 7
- Ben Arthurs – 6
Reece Neale’s assist for Ryan Arthur’s deciding third goal at Queen’s University propped him up to double digits for league set-ups, with both the former Linfield Swifts skipper and Seanna Foster – who bagged four – making the PIL Team of the Season for their endeavours.
Harris, who opened his account with a well-weighted pass for Adam Neale to convert during a 5-0 victory over Armagh City in October, made his presence particularly felt in the second half of the season with that half-dozen-strong spree. Arthurs, who concludes on 26 direct goal involvements in 21 PIL clashes, makes a difference in more ways than one.
Top assister (Steel and Sons Cup):
- Ben Arthurs – 4
- Michael Halliday, Adam Neale – 2
- Reece Neale, John Boyle, Lewis Harrison, Dylan O’Kane, Ally Ferguson, Scott McArthur – 1
Perhaps skewed slightly by providing a treble of them in the first of Bangor’s Steel and Sons matches, Ben Arthurs’ exploits in Greenisland back in August represent the only time a player got three assists in a game all season long.
That had helped the Seasiders to seal an emphatic eight-goal away victory at Glenkeen Avenue, and it proved a means to go on. Meanwhile, in the quarter-final against Albert Foundry, it was ironically in Arthurs’ injury-enforced absence that his replacement, Michael Halliday, took centre stage having set up two of Adam Neale’s three goals in mid-November to clinch the ace striker his first match ball while wearing yellow and blue.
He may not be a player most renowned for his offensive contributions by trade, but Lewis Harrison came up trumps at the end of the season in particular and concluded with three goals and three assists to his name. Perhaps the shining light of his Steel and Sons Cup escapade, though, was when he picked out Ben Arthurs amid a crowd in the penalty area for the Kircubbin striker to slot home from six yards in the Steel and Sons Cup Final – a crucial intervention indeed. Image from Gary Carson.
“I was thinking ‘leave it, leave it’… I wasn’t expecting Michael to cut it back, I thought he was going to go himself, big man deserved it to be fair,” explained Adam following that Foundry success.
Of course, he played his part with a set-up for Glover’s curled wonder strike in the semi-final against Ballymacash. He had earlier provided Arthurs with a pinpoint delivery that set the visiting Yellows on their way against Glentoran Seconds at Ashfield High School, later scoring himself in a 0-3 last-16 victory.
Top assister (Irish Cup):
- Reece Neale – 3
- Seanna Foster – 2
- Lewis Harrison, Ben Arthurs, Karl Devine, David Hume, Michael Halliday, Ryley D’Sena – 1
The wing-backs certainly enjoyed themselves in the Irish Cup, it is fair to say.
One-time Carrick Rangers star Neale was the provider of an accurate long ball that paved the way for Arthurs to send Crusaders nerves jangling just a bit. The highlight of his competition, it was in the heat of the moment that the 24-year-old played his cards right – and the leading light up top made sure to repay him.
It was the first assist of Bangor’s entire season that Ryley D’Sena managed to notch up, when his inch-perfect cross-field pass found Ben Arthurs in his stride to open the scoring against Queen’s University in the Irish Cup first round. As it transpired, it would be the Australian’s only set-up from centre-back, but the Larne loanee made an impact and was handed the captain’s armband by Lee Feeney in the final game of the season. Image from Sarah Harkness.
As for Foster, it was Arthurs to answer his call when a pinpoint cross of his was headed home in the second stage versus Strabane Athletic. Michael Halliday did likewise when his inswinging delivery was guided in against Limavady United.
Top assister (Intermediate Cup):
- Reece Neale, Jamie Glover, Seanna Foster – 1
Brief as Bangor’s Intermediate Cup sojourn was, there were still three players who boosted their assist marks in the two rounds.
Jamie Glover and Seanna Foster each provided Michael Halliday with the service that the east Belfast icon was all too glad to make full use of, while Reece Neale assisted his brother to open the scoring ahead of an eventual shoot-out loss to Strabane Athletic.
Minutes per assist leaders (all competitions):
- Aaron Harris – 201.3
- Reece Neale – 218.3
- Ben Arthurs – 234.9
Rounding out in the end at a little over an assist every other game, Aaron Harris can make a credible case indeed that he was the most creative of midfielders at Lee Feeney’s disposal this campaign.
If he took a while to get going, supporters certainly got their money’s worth in the 15-game third-tier stretch following the Irish Cup match with Crusaders. A clear catalogue of precise floated balls and tempo-setting play that fed others in were hallmarks of his game, and he coped admirably when a Karl Devine-sized chasm opened up from mid-February onwards.
There is a plethora of different profiles in midfield available to manager Lee Feeney right now. Aaron Harris’ creative penchant and ability to unlock a defence can, for instance, be contrasted by the engine-room characteristics of Karl Devine, who approaches two full years in a Bangor shirt. Image from Sarah Harkness.
Alongside the ex-Whites orchestrator, the vivacious Neale and the effervescent Arthurs – the latter really is manifesting into the best version of himself since first linking up on the seaside as a 20-year-old almost five full years ago now – among the leaders in this metric are double-double duo Scott McArthur (292.6) and Michael Halliday (292.7).
Another who found himself high-ranking in delivering goals and assists on a per-minute basis was Jordan Hughes, who averaged one every 210.6. A couple Premier Intermediate strikes, firstly against Banbridge Town and then versus Moyola Park, fitted in with the trend of a player who showed increasing signs of hitting his groove as the campaign endured.
And, after a final day finish at Fortwilliam Park that showed the technical gift and close control that he so abundantly possesses, Tom Mathieson – who likewise notched up three goals – is one to watch going forward alongside the former Dundela hitman extraordinaire.
Clean sheets (all competitions):
- James Taylor – 20 in 35 appearances (57.1% save percentage)
- Marc Orbinson – 4 in 8 appearances (50% save percentage)
It proved a record-breaking season for the performance between the sticks this term, where James Taylor and Marc Orbinson combined to deliver a club-high 24 clean sheets between them.
Local-based Taylor, whose 14 shut-outs in 23 third-tier appearances makes for a collective percentage of 60.9%, gained a well-earned place in the PIL Team of the Season alongside fellow Bangor representatives Reece Neale, Seanna Foster, John Boyle and Ben Arthurs. The 38-year-old’s first season since swapping Glenavon for the seaside has proved commendable.
Orbinson, a centre-back for Ballygowan on arrival who then found a new status between the sticks in the PIL, chipped in with four further clean sheets. Most impressively, surely, must have been keeping the likes of Sean Moore, Joe Gormley, Ryan Curran and Ronan Hale at bay when Cliftonville came to visit in the Co Antrim Shield back in September.
Given a real test between the sticks when Paddy McLaughlin brought his Cliftonville team to Clandeboye Park in the Co Antrim Shield, it was a challenge Marc Orbinson was suitably up to. Finishing 0-0 after the regulation 90 minutes, the goalkeeper was a big factor behind that and ensured a clean sheet was kept to reward the efforts of himself and a solid defence. Image from Sarah Harkness.
He then proceeded to save Reds skipper Chris Curran’s spot-kick in the ensuing penalty shoot-out, coming after a goalless draw where the 28-year-old made a succession of excellent saves, and was unfortunate to come out the losing end.
With goalkeeping coach Neil Gillespie behind the tutelage of both, the faith has been well-placed in this part of the pitch and made the goal notably formidable.
Minutes per goal involvement (all competitions):
- Ben Arthurs – 83.4 minutes
- Adam Neale – 87.2 minutes
- Michael Halliday – 125.4 minutes
Most appearances:
- Reece Neale, John Boyle, David Hume – 40 (Boyle – 38 starts; Neale, Hume – 37 starts each)
- Ryan Arthur – 36 (36 starts)
- James Taylor, Seanna Foster – 35 (Taylor – 35 starts; Foster – 33 starts)
There were three Seasiders this term to break the 40-appearance marker out of a maximum of 43 from this season.
All of Reece Neale, John Boyle and David Hume reinforced their significant roles within Lee Feeney’s system. A cumulative total of over 10,000 minutes played between them is seriously good going – and as equally impressive is the fact that, from the 36 appearances that he made, Ryan Arthur saw out the entirety in every single outing he deployed.
Setting a benchmark for durability, Ryan Arthur managed to feature for the entirety of the match in each of the 36 appearances that he appeared in this season. His five goals and five assists in that span were not half bad a tally to hold either. Image from Sarah Harkness.
In his first season as a Bangor player, former Newry City stalwart Boyle made the most starts of any player – 38 – and was the man to make the most successive appearances too, also with 38.
The 36-year-old’s commitment to the cause is outstanding, and he has put himself on the board as one of Feeney’s on-the-pitch lieutenants.
Most appearances (Premier Intermediate League):
- Reece Neale – 27 (25 starts)
- David Hume – 26 (25 starts)
- John Boyle – 25 (25 starts)
Those three players to lead in the overall appearance charts are the same three topping out in the league.
John Boyle, David Hume and Reece Neale had, up until the meeting with Queen’s University on the day Bangor confirmed the third-tier title, all featured in every single game in league play. In itself, that is a testament to the trust Lee Feeney holds in all three players. Image from Jordan Connolly/Life Through A Lens NI.
And particular commendation in this department must go to Reece Neale, who featured in every single fixture – all bar two from the start. An overall tally of 21 goals and assists in 40 games from left wing-back, and also putting on show his additional versatility with a run-out in midfield on the final day against Tobermore United, is quite the note to finish on.
Most minutes played:
- John Boyle – 3,405
- David Hume – 3,368
- Reece Neale – 3,275
In a three-way race that, per the above two sections, is not exactly a surprise as regards the personnel involved, it is John Boyle who just emerges on top in the metric of who in actual fact has been on the pitch for the most amount of time.
Across right-sided centre-back Boyle’s 40 outings, he has featured for a total of 3,405 minutes in regulation – equivalent to 37.8 full 90-minute spells – and so edges revered Ballygowan man and left-sided counterpart Hume by less than a half’s worth of football in the end.
Reece Neale accounts for 3,275 minutes, merely 15 ahead of Ryan Arthur (3,260) and under 100 more than James Taylor (3,190) as the five players in the squad north of the 3,000-minute barrier this term.
Most yellow cards:
- Jamie Glover – 7
- David Hume, Karl Devine – 6
- Dylan O’Kane – 5
A rather surprising outcome in the booking charts, as Jamie Glover winds up as the leader in the booking charts.
Granted, six of those yellow cards were dished out to the 22-year-old one-time Glentoran youngster during 2022. With his fellow Belfast native Karl Devine also receiving a half-dozen cautions from officials, and David Hume coming under the spotlight on the same number of occasions, they ensured that they kept their cool and did not overstep the mark to the point where they saw the colour red.
Featured image from Sarah Harkness.
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