Match Report – Lisburn Distillery v Bangor (Lough 41 Premier Intermediate League) – Monday 2nd January 2023
Lisburn Distillery started a new year on Monday by welcoming Bangor to New Grosvenor; The Seasiders of course had thrashed the Whites 5-0 in the opening league game of the season back in August.
New signings Adam McCart and Stephen Wilson went straight into the starting line-up with fellow new recruit Jake Willis on the bench, Michael Gallagher’s transfer from Donegal Celtic was not completed on time for him to feature. Pearse McVarnock also returned to the starting line-up and Cieran Clougherty was on the bench, both players available again after lengthy absences.
The visitors had the first sight of goal after eight minutes; Seanan Foster sent an inviting cross into the Distillery box from the right but Reece Neale just could not get on the end of it. Moments later another cross from the right ended with a shot on goal but Whites goalkeeper Ethan Carry made a great save, tipping the ball onto his right hand post.
A free kick out on the right after 13 minutes offered a chance for Barry Johnston’s side to get men forward and Josh Lynch’s deliver towards Adam McCart looked good but unfortunately, the new signing was just beaten to the ball by a defender. Soon after this the Whites were behind when Reece Neale fired a cross-cum-shot into the box and despite getting a hand to the ball Carry could not stop it from crossing the line this time.
The opening third of the game had been largely dominated by the visitors but there was a definite improvement from the New Grosvenor side in the final 15 minutes of the half. Lynch had two opportunities to equalise but on one occasion could not connect with the ball after some good build up play and on the second he saw his shot blocked by a defender.
The last opportunity of the half fell to Distillery when another free kick from Lynch looked like it might find Wilson at the back post but Bangor goalkeeper, James Taylor, managed to claim the ball before being clattered by the Whites midfielder, who earned the game’s first yellow card for his troubles.
Despite being behind at the break and having been on the back foot for the majority of the game, there was a feeling that the Whites were by no means out of the game at this stage.
Half Time: Lisburn Distillery 0-1 Bangor
Distillery started the second half hoping for an early goal to level things up quickly but it was Carry who was called into action first when he had to push a looping long range effort over the bar just as it looked like it might be creeping in.
Unfortunately, things started to go quickly downhill for the Whites in the 56th minute when they lost the ball inside their own half, this allowed Ben Arthurs to break away, and coolly finish past Carry to double the visitors lead. Just a few minutes later, it became 3-0 when Ryan Arthur escaped the attention of the Distillery defence from a free kick to score his third goal against us this season.
The Whites management made some changes to try to find a way to reduce the deficit but Taylor and the Bangor backline remained largely untroubled and the visitors eventually added further goals to their tally in the closing 15 minutes through Dylan O’Kane and Adam Neale to match their tally from earlier in the season.
All in all a disappointing day for the Whites who remain in 11th place, four points ahead of still winless PSNI and it is worth noting we have played less games than most teams directly above us. Next up is a trip away to Limavady on Saturday in a rearranged game from just before Christmas.
Full Time: Lisburn Distillery 0-5 Bangor
Lisburn Distillery; Carry, Smyth, A. McCart, O. McCart, Murray, Lynch, Higginson, Wilson, Sinnerton, McVarnock, Shearer
Lisburn Distillery substitutes; Patton (for Smyth, 35 mins), Willis (for Sinnerton, 65 mins), Clougherty, Swann (for McVarnock, 59 mins), Elliott (for Higginson, 65 mins), Angus, Fleming
Match report by Cameron Moore @cameron2604
David Hunter’s picture gallery from game can be found @ https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAmN2y
