BANGOR 1-1 CLIFTONVILLE, JJB Sports Premiership.

Stangmore Park, Saturday 1st January 2009
Match Report by Neil Watson 

Bangor and Cliftonville had to settle for a share of the spoils after this hard fought game between two evenly matched teams. Marty Verner headed his side into an early lead but Rory Hamill levelled the scores just before half-time. Both sides had chances to win the tie in the second half, but in the end, a point a piece was a fair reflection of the game.

The home side began brightly with Verner firing wide in the 12th minute. The Bangor striker make no mistake five minutes later as he stole in front of his marker to head Dean Youle's dangerous right wing cross into the bottom corner of the net from 12 yards.

Bangor were well in control but they were dealt a blow in the 37th minute when captain Andy Morrow had to limp off with a hamstring injury. He was replaced by Paul McDowell.

Cliftonville immediately began to boss the game and would have dragged themselves level but for Andrew Plummer blocking Chris Scannell's close range effort.

With only two minutes to play before half time, Cliftonville were awarded a dubious corner by referee Raymond Crangle. The corner wasn't properly cleared as Chris Scannell sent a header rebounding off the crossbar but Rory Hamill was quickest to react as he acrobatically forced the ball through a crowd of bodies and into the net.

Half-time: 1 - 1

Both sides had chances early in the second half but Plummer was equal to Chris Scannell's turn and shot while at the other end, John Connolly got down quickly to hold on to Dom Melly's shot.

Darren Lockhart showed that his level of fitness is as high as ever in the 51st minute as he made a perfectly timed sliding tackle to rob Hamill of position as the Cliftonville forward looked to shoot inside the penalty area. Bangor moved the ball quickly up field and it was Lockhart who collected the final ball before sending a shot across goal but just wide of the target.

John Connolly produced a fine save in the 55th minute as the 'keeper got down quickly to push away a Verner glancing header destined for the bottom corner.

At the other end of the pitch, Bangor had the superbly positioned Mark Gracey to thank for not falling behind. A Cliftonville corner fell invitingly for the unmarked Chris Scannell at the back post. The Cliftonville striker steadied himself before rifling a low shot through the legs of Andrew Plummer but Gracey was in the right place on the goal line to get his body behind the ball and keep it out of the net.

Andrew Plummer had to react quickly in the 73rd minute to push away a low Rory Hamill shot at the foot of his right hand post.

With time running out, Bangor almost took the lead but Paul McDowell's close range shot from a Marty Verner corner was well blocked by a Cliftonville defender.

Deep into injury time, Mark Holland almost grabbed all three points for his side, but his snapshot from a Scannell cross flew just wide of the target.

Full-time: 1 - 1

Bangor: Plummer, Youle, Boyd, Gracey, McMenamin, Anderson ('76 McKee), Melly ('87 Hand), Irvine, Lockhart, Morrow ('37 McDowell), Verner. Subs not used: Magennis, Cleary

Scorer: Verner ('17) Booked: Gracey, Youle

Cliftonville: Connolly, Smyth, R Scannell, O'Hara, Donaghy, M Holland, McMullan, Patterson, Catney ('90 Johnston), Hamill ('76 Murphy), C Scannell. Subs not used: Clarke, Dunlop, Boyce

Scorer: Hamill ('37) Booked: Smyth, C Scannell

Referee: Mr R Crangle