BANGOR 0-2 LISBURN DISTILLERY

Pre-Season Friendly - Clandeboye Park

Thursday 26th July 2007 
Match Report by Neil Watson

A goal in each half from Distillery front men Andy Waterworth and Gary Browne helped their side record a 2 goal victory over Bangor at Clandeboye Park on Thursday evening.  The visitors enjoyed long spells of possession in what was an entertaining and open game of football, with both sides having plenty of chances in front of goal.

Bangor, welcoming back Ryan Brown 1, Stephen Collier and Stephen Munn into their side, could have opened the scoring in the 10th minute, but Ryan Brown 2 saw his 12 yard shot well beaten away by Philip Matthews.

The opening goal did arrive only 5 minutes later through the lively Andy Waterworth.  The striker capitalised on a sliced Munn clearance from a corner to fire the ball past Brown 1 from a narrow angle on the left.

Distillery’s summer acquisition from Glentoran, Gary Browne, was denied in the 33rd minute by a fine block from Ryan Brown 1.  The forward cut in from the right flank before seeing his low 14 yard shot blocked by the Bangor goalkeepers’ legs.

Half-time: 0 – 1

Ryan Brown 1 was again in action 3 minutes after the restart when he had to push away Andy Waterworth’s powerful 12 yard volley following some good play by Gary Browne.

Gary Browne then missed a gilt edge chance to double his side’s lead on the hour mark when the forward stabbed Andy Kilmartin’s right wing cross wide of the right hand post when well placed.

Bangor had a flurry of chances 2 minutes later when they were unfortunate not to score following Dominic Melly’s corner on the left.  Paul McDowell’s glancing header at the near post was hacked clear off the line at the back post.  Paul Emerson then saw his follow up header cannon off the crossbar before Matthews punched McDowell’s snapshot only as far as Colin Beggs who saw his 16 yard shot cleared off the line before the danger was finally removed.

The visitors raced up field and Andy Waterworth forced Brown 1 into a fine save low to his left following the forward’s shot from 20 yards.  The resultant corner saw Colin Beggs courageously throw himself in front of a Damien McLaughlin goal-bound shot.

The game continued to flow from end-to-end and it was Philip Matthews who had to get down to his right to smartly keep out Melly’s low 25 yard shot.

Lisburn Distillery sealed the game in the 73rd minute when Gary Browne skilfully turned his marker and fired the ball into the bottom right hand corner from the edge of the penalty area.

Paul McDowell was unlucky not to pull a goal back for the home side in the 75th minute, but his looping header from a John Bailie cross dipped just over the crossbar with Matthews struggling to cover his goal.

At the other end of the pitch, Ryan Brown 1 had to be at his best to superbly deny Nathan McConnell.  The former Glenavon forward latched onto Andy Waterworth’s right wing cross and looked a cert to score from 6 yards, but somehow Brown 1 managed to keep the forward’s point blank shot out.

Andy Forsythe could have opened the scoring for Bangor in the 80th minute, but he saw his effort fly just over the crossbar from 12 yards following some good play from Paul McDowell.

Final Score: 0 – 2

Bangor: Brown 1, Collier, Beggs, Munn (Emerson), Harbinson (Massey), Melly, Hand, Irvine (McDowell), Morrow (Gribben), Dunlop (Bailie), Brown 2 (Forsythe).
Booked: Munn, Melly

Lisburn Distillery: Matthews, Alderdice, Thompson, McCann, Magee, Muir, Kilmartin, Ward, Waterworth, Browne, Cooling.  Subs: McConnell, McLaughlin, Bell, Mercer, Armour.