TOBERMORE UTD 2-1 BANGOR

Carnegie First Division
Match Report by Neil Watson
Saturday 8th April 2006

At a blustery Fortwilliam Park, a Tobermore side looking to escape relegation recorded a straightforward victory over a Bangor team depleted by suspension and injury.

With 6 minutes played, Bangor created the first opening. Gareth Larmour’s free kick from the left picked out Andy Morrow on the edge of the penalty area. Morrow controlled well before creating enough space to shoot low at Hassan in the Tobermore goal.

Tobermore’s first chance arrived after 16 minutes. McDaid collected the ball in midfield before advancing unchallenged. The midfielder shot from 25 yards but his low effort went well wide of the right upright.

A minute later, a good Bangor move almost saw both Jim McCloskey and Cullen Feeney open the scoring. Gant Dunlop’s low cross from the right was taken off McCloskey’s toe as he shaped to shoot, while from the resulting corner Cullen Feeney volleyed wide of the right post from 18 yards.

The game sparked into life after 33 minutes with Tobermore taking the lead. A long wind assisted Kelly free kick picked out Graeme Philson in the penalty area. Philson rose highest to head the ball across goal and into the bottom corner past the diving Brown.

Tobermore found themselves two goals to the good 5 minutes later. The lively Paul Owens collected the loose ball 25 yards from goal before blasting his shot high past Brown and into the top right corner.

Kyle Hassan had to be on top form to deny Cullen Feeney on the stroke of half time. A long Kerr throw found Feeney 6 yards from goal. The former-Portadown defender shot first time but Hassan threw himself to his right to push the ball around the post.

Half-time: 2 – 0

The second period began brightly with both teams coming close to scoring. Michael Walsh forced Ryan Brown in the Bangor goal into a smart save low to his left after the fullback had shot from 20 yards. From Brown’s long punt up-field, John Douglas played in Jim McCloskey on the right. The lanky winger cut infield before shooting across goal, forcing Hassan to push the powerful effort to safety.

Andy Morrow was next to test Hassan in the Tobermore goal. The Bangor captain created space for himself amongst a crowd of players on the edge of the penalty area but his left footed shot lacked the power to really trouble Hassan.

Bangor continued to force the pace of the second half and were unfortunate not to score on the hour mark. John Douglas’ corner from the right was floated towards Cullen Feeney who rose highest in the penalty area, but his header flew just wide of the right hand post.

Bangor pulled a goal back after 75 minutes through Barry Holland. The midfielder’s powerful 30-yard free kick took a wicked deflection off a Tobermore defender before sailing into the top right corner past the despairing Hassan.

Despite the introduction of Kenny Camlin and Brian Russell, Bangor failed to further test the Tobermore defence. Instead it was the home side who dominated the closing stages.

Second half substitutes Richard McGinley and Trevor Hutchinson combined well to open up the Bangor defence. McGinley raced cleared on the left but his shot across goal flew just wide of the right post.

On the stroke of full-time, Ryan Brown had to be alert to deny Kieran Loughran. The centre forward latched onto a stray pass in the Bangor defence before advancing towards goal. Fortunately for Bangor, Ryan Brown blocked Loughran’s shot before the ball was cleared to safety.

Full time: 2 – 1

Bangor:
Brown, Nicholl, Larmour (Russell), Cheevers, Feeney, Holland, Dunlop, Kerr, Morrow, Douglas (Camlin), McCloskey.
Scorer: Holland (’75)
Booked: Dunlop, Feeney, Kerr, Cheevers, Camlin

Tobermore Utd:
Hassan, Walsh (Hutchinson), McQuillan, Pattison, Kelly, McDaid, Owens, Philson, Shiels (Leacock), Loughran, Doherty (McGinley).
Scorers: Philson (’33), Owens (’38)
Booked: Owens, Doherty Referee: Mr Mark Courtney