BANGOR 0-2 LIMAVADY UNITED (LADBROKES.COM CHAMPIONSHIP 1)

Clandeboye Park, Saturday 5th December 2009
Match Report by Neil Watson 

Two second half goals were enough for league leaders Limavady United as they overcame a hard working Bangor side.

The visitors were first to threaten but Trevor Hutchinson wasted a good opportunity as he shot straight at Gareth Maguire after good work from Vincent Sweeney.

At the other end of the pitch, Mark Magennis found himself in space to slide an inviting pass towards the unmarked Glen Upton. The Bangor forward clipped the ball past Doherty but Upton was denied his tenth goal of the season by the base of the post.

Two moments of calamitous defending within a minute at either end of the pitch should have resulted in goals but Upton saw his effort saved by Doherty after McConaghie made a mess of his clearance in the 31st minute.

Dean Youle was next to fluff his lines as he missed two attempts to clear the danger inside his own penalty area, but Hutchinson rushed his header when he had more time and space than he realised.

Limavady United began to take control as the half wore on and would surely have taken the lead in the 35th minute but for a fantastic clearing header by the alert Ryan Mann.

Moments later Gareth Maguire made a fine block from Hutchinson after he could only push away a looping Sweeney cross.

Half-Time: 0 – 0

Mark Magennis came within inches of giving his side the lead in the 55th minute when the former-Coventry City midfielder tried his luck from 25 yards.
With Doherty scrambling across his goals, Magennis watched on as his effort bounced clear off the crossbar. Gareth Maguire produced an impressive double save on the hour mark as he kept out close range efforts from both Hutchinson and Patton.

But Bangor’s luck was out in the 65th minute when a through ball to Davy Patton caused confusion between Maguire and Whiteside. The Bangor centre half, who had won everything all game, slid in to take the ball away from Patton but only succeeded in diverting it away from the on-rushing Maguire and leaving Patton with the easy task of tapping into an empty net.

The closest Bangor came to getting back on level terms was in the 72nd minute when Andy Rosbotham’s low shot from 20 yards had to be pushed away by Doherty diving low to his right.

The game was over as a contest in the 85th minute when referee Keith Halliday awarded the visitors a controversial throw-in when the ball appeared to hit Sweeney before going out of play. As Bangor argued their case, Limavady played on and caught the Seasiders short at the back with Clarke hitting home from a low Patton cross.

Full-time: 0 – 2

Bangor: Maguire, Mann, Whitford, Youle, Whiteside, Maxwell, Rosbotham, Scates (’75 Carnduff), Magennis, Machude, Upton (’70 McIntyre). Subs not used: Dunlop, McAllister, Knox.
Booked: Scates, Magennis

Limavady United: Doherty, McNutt, Rodden, McConaghie, McNulty, O’Loughlin, Sweeney, Lowry (’70 Spratt), Hutchinson (’80 Jennings), Patton, Clarke. Subs not used: Owens, McLaughlin, McKeever
Scorers: Patton (’65), Clarke (’85)

Referee: Mr. K. Halliday