It has been a little more than six years since that
encounter, when two late Bangor goals saw the spoils shared in a Belfast
Telegraph Championship 1 clash.
The blustery weather played a big part in what was a lifeless
opening to the game that day as both sides struggled in the final third.
Striker Miguel Chines had the first real chance with a
left-footed free-kick which had just a little too much curl on it, creeping
wide of the near post.
At the other end, Jordan Forsythe came agonisingly to
netting the opener, but he failed to get a touch on Andy Morrow’s teasing
cross.
Chines then took a tumble in the box after a tangle
with Thomas Wray and despite a half-hearted penalty appeal, referee Steven
Taylor was not interested.
The second half was a much different affair and the
game sparked to life when former Carrick stopper Simon Steele was booked for
hauling Ben Roy to the ground after the striker had knocked the ball past him.
It was the hosts who broke the deadlock on the 71st
minute as a 35-yard looping free-kick from Chines caught out Steele and went in
over the goalkeeper’s head after he had come to catch the ball.
Chines then made it a brace soon after with the
simplest of finishes from six yards when Steele had parried Kyle Cherry’s
initial shot straight into the path of the Portuguese.
However, the away side pulled a goal back with five
minutes to go as Mark Cooling’s 20-yard free-kick nestled in the bottom corner
having made its way through a crowd of bodies.
Garth Scates’ men proceeded to throw the proverbial kitchen sink at the ‘Gers
and it paid off on 89 minutes when Forsythe forced the ball over the line after
a goalmouth scramble in the box.
Conor McCloskey almost nicked it at the end, but his
25-yard free-kick came thundering back off the crossbar.
Carrick Rangers: Brian Neeson, Aaron Smyth, Aaron Traynor,
Ciaran Donaghy, Ryan Arthur, Daniel Kelly, Aaron Harmon, Kyle Cherry, Miguel Chines,
Ben Roy (Nathan McConnell 89), Conor McCloskey.
Unused substitutes: Aidan Watson, Adam Dick, Jody Lynch,
Anthony Lagan.
Bangor: Simon Steele, Andy Long, Kris Pike (Richard Gibson
87), Thomas Wray, Dean Youle, Barry Walsh, Andrew Hall (Willie McBurney 72), Mark
Cooling, Jordan Forsythe, Paul McDowell (Ethan Boylan 78), Andy Morrow.
Unused substitutes: Darren Gibbons, Colin Nixon.
Referee: Steven Taylor
Photo courtesy of PressEye
