MEN’S PREMIER LEAGUE
NORTH DOWN 5
BANGOR 4
NORTH Down claimed the spoils in a dramatic and disappointing derby day defeat for Bangor, who were unable to hold onto an early lead in a thrilling nine-goal encounter.
The home side started brightly, taking an early advantage when Phil Wilson opened the scoring. However, the game quickly shifted in Bangor’s favour, as brothers JJ and Seb Holley turned the tide. JJ, netting his third goal of the season, and Seb combined to give Bangor a 2-1 lead, but that was as good as it got for the visitors.
The lead was short-lived, as Bangor’s defensive vulnerabilities were exposed and their ill-discipline punished. Harry Templeton pulled North Down level before Josh Gilmore and Gareth McKeown struck to give the visitors a 4-2 advantage, leaving Bangor with little time to regroup.
Just when it seemed Bangor were out of the game, Templeton’s second goal seemed to seal the win for North Down, stretching their lead to 5-2.
Bangor, however, refused to go down without a fight. Ryan Burgess scored two quick drag flicks, narrowing the gap to 5-4 and reigniting hope for the visiting side. But despite a late surge, Bangor could not find the equaliser.
In the end, it was a crushing blow for Bangor, who had shown so much promise early on but ultimately fell short.
North Down, resilient in the face of a few nervy moments, held firm to take all three points, leaving the Seasiders to reflect on a missed opportunity and a match that slipped from their grasp.
