BANGOR 4-0 COLERAINE, JJB Sport Premiership.

Clandeboye Park, Saturday 29th November 2008
Match Report by Neil Watson 

Bangor got back to winning ways with a superb four goal victory over Coleraine. David Irvine scored his second goal in as many games to give his side a deserved early lead. It was then that Andrew Plummer showed his worth to the Bangor side when he pulled off a string of breathtaking saves in the second half to keep Coleraine at bay. Bangor took great confidence from those saves and Andy Morrow was able to double the lead in the 73rd minute. Moments later Marty Verner grabbed a third goal before Aaron McKee sealed the win with a superbly taken volley late on.

The home side completely dominated the early stages with only O'Hare and some committed defending keeping out Irvine and Melly. Bangor's pressure told in the 4th minute when David Irvine pounced on an Andy Cleary long throw to swivel and direct a shot past the stranded 'keeper.

Bangor continued to threaten with each attack but Davy O'Hare reacted quickly to gather Dom Melly's raking 25 yard shot at the second attempt before Darren Lockhart's sweetly struck 20 yard volley was deflected inches wide of the target with O'Hare beaten.

Coleraine's first meaningful attack arrived on the half hour and almost resulted in a goal when Stephen Carson saw his close range effort blocked by Andrew Plummer. The rebound fell to Carson but this time a heroic block from Dean Youle's head kept the ball out when a goal seemed certain.

While Bangor bossed the early running of the game, Coleraine finished the half much stronger and Carson was again the thorn in the side of the Bangor defence. The lively forward did well to cut in from the right wing, but his low 20 yard shot bounced off the foot of the post to where Richard Gibson was waiting to head the ball into the net only for Andrew Plummer to superbly push the ball over the crossbar.

Half-time: 1 - 0

Marty Quinn had to reshuffle his pack at half-time when Darren Lockhart was replaced by Aaron McKee. That change saw McKee play on the right flank, while the hard-working Noel Anderson moved into the centre of midfield.

Like the first half, Bangor started on top and came agonisingly close to doubling their lead in the 50th minute when Dom Melly connected with Verner's deep cross only to see his effort bounce clear off the crossbar.

While Andrew Plummer made some excellent saves in the first half, he certainly kept his best for a couple minutes of exceptional goalkeeping in the second half. The young goalkeeper produced a wonderful reflex save to push a Richard Gibson header over the crossbar. The resultant corner picked out Marty Hunter, but his close range headed effort was superbly kept out and with the same man lining up the rebound, Plummer somehow through himself from a prone position to claw away the goalbound effort. Simply outstanding.

Spurred on by Plummer's heroics and pushed on by the hugely impressive McMenamin and Gracey in defence, Bangor began to reassert themselves as an attacking threat in the game.

In the 73rd minute, a textbook counter-attack gave Bangor their second goal. Dean Youle won the ball in defence before surging forward and releasing Marty Verner. The pacey frontman did well to leave his marker and square the ball to Andy Morrow who kept his composure to sidestep a defender and fire past O'Hare from just inside the penalty area.

Bangor gave themselves a more comfortable end to the game when Marty Verner grabbed his sixth goal of the season in the 76th minute. Dom Melly floated a cross to the backpost where Aaron McKee rifled a shot across goal allowing the quick thinking Marty Verner to nip in ahead of his marker and squeeze the ball past O'Hare from close range.

The game began to flow from end to end as Coleraine looked to salvage something from the game and Bangor tried to take advantage of the huge gaps left in their now exposed defence. Richard Gibson went close for Coleraine but his 14-yard shot spun just wide while Dom Melly and Andy Morrow saw efforts blocked at the other end.

With only four minutes remaining, another left wing Melly cross picked out the unmarked McKee at the backpost. Even with plenty of time and space to bring the ball down, the substitute rifled a first time volley past O'Hare at his near post. A fine finish.

Despite the game being over as a contest, chances were still created at both ends with Gibson seeing his deflected shot loop onto the crossbar and Andy Morrow forcing a fine save from O'Hare after a Melly cross.

Full-time: 4 - 0

Bangor: Plummer, Youle, Cleary, McMenamin, Gracey, Anderson, Melly, Irvine, Lockhart ('46 McKee), Morrow ('90 McConell), Verner ('88 McDowell). Subs not used Magennis, Boyd

Scorers: Irvine ('5), Morrow ('73) Verner ('76), McKee ('86) Booked: Anderson, McMenamin

Coleraine: O'Hare, Beverland (Patton '74), Crossan, McVey, McLaughlin, Lamont ('30 Dooley), Cassidy ('64 Harkin), McCallion, Hunter, Carson, Gibson. Subs not used: Neill, Ewart

Booked: McCallion

Referee: Mr A McCourt