Dundela 2- 1Bangor

Intermediate First Division, Wilgar Park, 29th October 2005
Match Report by Neil Watson

Dundela began the match brightly and found themselves in the lead after just 5 minutes. A 30-yard free kick cannoned off the Bangor wall to Brian Hylands on the left wing. The former Bangor player’s low cross picked out the unmarked McKnight, who from 12 yards, swivelled to slot the ball past Wes Lamont in the Bangor goal.

With the wind in their backs, Bangor spent most of the half camped in and around the Dundela penalty area. After 8 minutes, Jim McCloskey fired a low 25-yard free kick along the wet turf forcing Tony Miskelly to spill the ball but the danger was averted by an alert Dundela defender.

After 13 minutes, a deep cross by the advancing Nicholl picked out Lee Feeney whose header from 12 yards was just too high.

It was Nicholl again who instigated the next Bangor chance with a long throw in from the right flank. Brian Russell glanced Nicholl’s throw-in towards McCloskey, but the winger’s header was straight at Miskelly from 4 yards.

With this dominance, Bangor threw men forward and it was the right back, Chris Nicholl, who almost found the equaliser. A long free kick was only half cleared to Nicholl whose thunderous 20 yard shot grazed the top of the cross bar.

After 20 minutes, Lee Feeney was out of luck as he found the wrong side of the post from 18 yards. A low free kick from McCloskey picked out Morrow in the penalty area. The Bangor captain laid the ball off to Feeney on the edge of the area, but the former-Rangers player directed his low shot against the left upright.

The woodwork again came to Dundela’s rescue after 23 minutes. A Jackie Kerr cross from the right picked out McCloskey at the far post. McCloskey’s header was spilled by Miskelly and from the resultant scramble, a Bangor foot directed the ball against the right hand post.

Tony Miskelly then saved well from a Feeney shot across goal after good work from Ryan Brown on the right wing after 38 minutes.

Half time: Dundela 1 – 0 Bangor

The second half resumed with both teams and the referee changing their shirts from the first half due to the intense rainfall.

Neither side could force any meaningful attack on goal in the opening minutes of the restart. After 68 minutes, Craig Bowers replaced Ryan Brown 2, and the substitute almost scored with his first touch. Andy Morrow picked out Lee Feeney who rolled the ball across goal to Bowers. Miskelly got down well to half block Bowers’ shot but a Dundela defender was alert enough to hook the ball off the goal line.

Minutes later, Dundela increased their lead. Substitute Craig Dougherty acrobatically flicked on a throw in from the right. Dougherty’s flick found Johnny Nixon at the penalty spot where the midfielder powered his header past Wes Lamont.

Bangor got a goal back after 75 minutes when Jim McCloskey gathered the rebound from a Bowers shot from 6 yards before hammering home past the exposed Miskelly from 8 yards.

The last chance of the match fell to Dundela, and but for a spectacular Lamont save, the score would have been 3-1. Lamont threw himself to his right to push substitute Glenn Dougherty’s 25-yard free kick round the post.

Final Score: Dundela 2 – 1 Bangor

Bangor: Lamont, Nicholl (Massey), Cleary, McStravick, Holland, Russell, Brown (Bowers), Kerr, Morrow, Feeney, McCloskey. Sub not used: Kennedy
Scorer: McCloskey (’75)

Dundela: Miskelly, Walker, Hylands, D Nixon, Murray, J Nixon, McCracken (Gourley), Stewart (C Dougherty), McKnight, Upton (G Dougherty), Parker.
Scorers: McKnight (‘5), J Nixon (’73)