By Neil Watson
DESPITE suffering defeat to Larne last Saturday afternoon, Bangor assistant manager John Douglas was pleased with the work rate and effort of the Seasiders at Clandeboye Park.
Douglas, who was in charge of proceedings on Saturday as boss Lee Feeney served the first game of a three-match ban for his red card in the County Antrim Shield last week, spoke highly of what he witnessed.
Gary Haveron’s full-time team had won their previous three outings without conceding a goal, and while they extended that run to four games they were made to work hard for their victory. “I was disappointed with the result but really pleased with the effort of the boys on the day,” summed up Douglas.
“Our players really emptied their tanks and made Larne work hard to get a result and in the end it took two wonder strikes for Larne to get the result. “I thought in the first half we were very, very good. We restricted Larne to very few chances and at times I felt we were in the ascendancy. With a bit more belief in the final third we could have been in the lead at half-time.”
Douglas continued: “In the second half, Larne increased the tempo but up until the hour mark we matched that. But I think at that stage the difference between a full-time team and a part time team started to show.
“Larne’s fitness levels allowed them to go through the gears and our boys started to get a bit more stretched. With the quality that Larne possess right through their squad, we knew it would be an issue for us as the game went on but our boys left everything on the pitch and they really gave it their all,” he said.
“At one goal behind, we tried to throw more men up front and that left us a bit short at the back but we thought we could get something from the game.
“Our performance shows the progression of the team and the club compared to the last couple of times when we have come up against Larne in cup competitions and we’ve been well beaten.”
