BANGOR v BALLINAMALLARD UNITED

CARNEGIE FIRST DIVISION
Clandeboye, Saturday 9th December 2006
Match Report by Neil Watson

A fantastic first half performance saw Bangor convincingly hammer Ballinamallard in this 1st Division clash. Seven first half goals saw Bangor maintain their unbeaten run in the league, while keeping the visitors rooted to the bottom of the table.

With only 7 minutes played, referee David Malcolm awarded Bangor a free kick 22 yards from goal after a foul on Andy Morrow. Stephen Munn stepped up and delightfully curled the ball into the right of the goal past the rooted Chris Breen.

Paul McDowell grabbed his first goal of the game 2 minutes later. A long punt up field from Ryan Brown 1 was glanced on by Morrow which set McDowell clear on goal. The Bangor forward raced clear and calmly slotted the ball past Breen from 12 yards.

Bangor continued to press forward and only minutes later, some committed defending denied Bangor their third goal. A superb run and cross from Ryan Brown 2 on the right picked out Andy Forsythe who’s first time shot seemed goal bound but for a well timed block by a defender.

The scoring continued in the 13th minute with Andy Morrow grabbing his first of the game. The Bangor captain collected the ball on the right before cutting infield and beating 3 defenders. Morrow’s left footed shot from just outside the penalty area managed to sneak under Breen’s body and into the goal.

Ryan Brown 2 could have got on the score sheet after 17 minutes. A classy flick from Morrow laid the ball off to Forsythe who had drifted infield. Forsythe slid the ball into the path of Brown 2 on the right, but his shot from inside the penalty area flew wide of the post.

Bangor were awarded a 21st minute penalty after the hard-working Jackie Kerr was hacked down in the penalty area when trying to take advantage of a Bailie pass. Paul McDowell took the penalty and confidently sent Breen the wrong way as the ball rolled into the bottom right hand corner.

Minutes later, Breen made his first save of the match as he dived to his right to hang onto David Irvine’s 25-yard effort.

There was nothing Breen could have done after 25 minutes though as Morrow scored his second of the game. Morrow collected Hylands’ throw-in before turning his defender and sliding the ball past Breen from 10 yards.

Andy Morrow sealed his perfect hat trick in the 30th minute. An in swinging Ryan Brown 2 corner was headed into the goal by the unmarked Morrow from 4 yards notching up the forward’s 10th goal of the season.

Bangor completed the rout in the 41st minutes when Morrow scored his fourth goal of the game, for the second time this season. A neat passage of passing between Morrow, Forsythe, Hylands and McDowell allowed the latter to skilfully flick the ball into the path of Andy Morrow. The forward advanced on goal unchallenged before exquisitely lifting the ball over the stranded Breen and into the back of the net.

Half-time: 7 – 0

After the rampant first half, Bangor made a number of changes with Youle and Nelson replacing Brown 2 and Irvine respectively. An enforced change quickly followed these substitutions, when Munn had to hobble off with McKenna replacing him, seeing Bangor fielding a makeshift midfield and defence as a consequence.

Paul McDowell should have sealed his hat trick on the hour mark. The busy Bangor forward did well to hold off the attentions of Stafford as he raced goalwards, but with only Breen left to beat, McDowell slid his shot the wrong side of the left hand post.

In a half that failed to live up to the same goal scoring opportunities as the first, neither side threatened the opposing goal with any menace. The closest that the visitors came to scoring was when Teague’s 25 yard deflected shot had to be smothered by the alert Ryan Brown 1.

Full-time: 7 – 0

Bangor: Brown 1, Bailie, Hylands, Munn (McKenna), Allen, Brown 2 (Youle), Kerr, Irvine (Nelson), Morrow, McDowell, Forsythe.
Scorers: Munn (‘7), McDowell (‘9, ’21 pen.), Morrow (’13, ’25, ’30, ’41)

Ballinamallard: Breen, Crilly, Teague, Stafford, Carters, Dickson (Coulter), Sproule, McCauley, Monaghan (Higgenbottom), McManus, McCleery (Flaherty)