PLAYR-FIT CHAMPIONSHIP
BANGOR 3
Arthurs 15’, S. McGuinness 18’, Harrison 90’
NEWRY CITY 0
BANGOR made it five league wins in a row on a historic Sunday afternoon at Clandeboye Park.
In front of a crowd of 746, the Seasiders didn’t let the occasion of the club’s first competitive home game on a Sunday distract from the job at hand as they brushed aside the challenge of Newry City to move nine points clear at the top of the Championship table.
Before kick-off Lee Feeney had warned of the dangers that Newry City would possess despite their lowly league position, and his men responded in kind with two quickfire goals to take control of proceedings.
With 15 minutes played Caomhan McGuinness darted inside from wide right before cleverly providing Marty Bradley with a pass inside the Newry penalty area. Bradley got to the byline before driving a low cross into the danger area and despite Darren King getting to the ball first, his clearance just teed up Ben Arthurs who smashed home his 140th goal for the club.
One became two just three minutes later from a less prolific source than Arthurs. Stephen McGuinness, on loan from Cliftonville, gathered Tiarnan Mulvenna’s flick on before arrowing his left-footed shot across Conor Mitchell and into the far corner from 16 yards.
While Bangor enjoyed plenty of possession and territory, Newry showed that they were still in the game when Ryan McNickle got in behind the home defence after 34 minutes but he could only find the side netting from a narrowing angle.
The clearest chances fell Bangor’s way and Marty Bradley could have added to his side’s advantage but he didn’t get a clean enough connection with his left footed effort to beat Mitchell after some good Bangor build up play.
Then, just moments before the break, Lewis Harrison’s hard work won the ball back for Bangor inside the visitors penalty area. The Bangor captain unselfishly squared to Arthurs but he was denied from close range by the legs of Mitchell before Newry could find safety.
Mitchell was the busier of the two goalkeepers and he produced a stunning save around the hour mark to deny Matthew Ferguson. The 28 year-old reacted instinctively to stick out a hand and brilliantly tip Ferguson’s glancing header round the post following Reece Neale’s searching cross.
While Bangor couldn’t find the third goal to kill off the visitors, Darren Mullen’s side looked to punish the Seasiders and Dualta Honney would have halved the deficit but for an outstretched leg from James Taylor as the visitors hit Bangor on the break.
Substitute Ben Cushnie twice went close for Bangor but he couldn’t bundle Arthurs’ cross home after 76 minutes.
But as it was, Bangor weren’t to be denied and Lewis Harrison continued his fine goal scoring form as he notched up his sixth goal of the season just past the 90-minute mark.
The Bangor captain picked up Tom Mathieson’s deft layoff and made no mistake from 14 yards as he rifled the ball past Mitchell to round off a successful day for the Seasiders.
Bangor: Taylor, C. McGuinness, Owens, Neale, Bradley (‘51 Mathieson), Garrett (‘90 Davidson), Mulvenna, Harrison, S McGuinness, Ferguson (‘67 Cushnie), Arthurs. Subs not used: Fry, Byers, Reid, Redford.
Booked: Bradley, Harrison, Owens, Mulvenna, Ferguson.
Newry City: Mitchell, King, O’Connor, O’Brien, Carroll (‘77 Fallon), Forde, Moan, McNickle (‘51 Salley), Honney, McEnteggert, McGrath (‘63 Poynton). Subs not used: McStay, O’Flaherty, Heaney, Dorans.
Booked: Forde, O’Connor.
