Bangor 2
Ballymena United 2
League (NIFL Premiership)

Match Report

Ballymena United let a two goal half-time lead slip as they drew 2-2 with Bangor at Clandeboye Park on Saturday afternoon.

Having made a number of changes for the midweek Co. Antrim Shield rout of Ballymacash Rangers, Oran Kearney reverted back to a more familiar league XI, naming the same side that lost last time out in the league over a fortnight ago.

It was United who started the brighter by the seaside, without having too much to show for it early on, bar a Chris McKee strike from well out, that was eventually held by Gareth Deane. However, that changed on fifteen minutes when the away side took the lead via Josh Archer's first goal for the club. Matthew Clarke and McKee exchanged a one-two from a throw in down the left and when McKee's ball towards Igor Rutkowski made its way instead to Joshua Archer eight yards out, he provided the finish to put his side ahead.

The Sky Blues remained in firm control following the opener, without too much to show for it by way of chances, but a minute past the half hour mark, Matthew Clarke added a second. After Rutkowski was fouled just outside the box at the top left corner, McKee's low free kick was met by the boot of the skipper, who flicked it home into the far corner.

Six minutes after the away side doubled their advantage, David Walsh was worried for the first time all half and it came from one of his fellow team mates. Harry Lynch's ball in from the right was eventually turned goalwards by James Hood by mistake, forcing Walsh to dive to his right to keep it out. A few minutes later, the hosts went close again, as Lewis Harrison's header hit the base of the post and went wide.

In between those rare first half Bangor openings, Ballymena missed a glorious chance to add a third. A delightful team move involving a number of the midfield and front line ended with Charlie Allen fizzing a ball across the six yard box that was met by Hood, but he got his finish all wrong and could only send the ball wide. Right on half time, another chance presented itself when Allen's defence splitting ball from his own half sent Rutkowski galloping away, but as he shot early with the defender closing, Deane got down well to tip the ball round his post.

If the first forty-five had been a relatively comfortable expedition for United, the second half was anything but. The Braidmen failed to restamp their authority from the restart, allowing Bangor to pull a goal back ten minutes in. The visitors couldn't clear a long throw into their box when given two opportunities to do so and when the ball dropped to Lewis Francis eight yards out, he finished past Walsh.

As Ballymena began to live dangerously, Walsh was on hand after the hour mark to keep his side ahead. A heavy touch from Hood inside his own box allowed Reece Neale to pounce and find Lucas McRoberts, whose high strike was put over by Walsh.

Beyond that chance, neither side were really able to create anything for a while, but whilst United steadied the ship in terms of thwarting Bangor chances, the home side still looked the more likely. Ballymena's cause wasn't helped by an injury to their skipper Clarke, which forced him off, to be replaced by debutant Kodi Lyons-Foster, with Daithi McCallion going to left back.

Other changes followed, with Success Edogun, Finley Thorndike and Caoimhin McConnell all appearing, but United were still only crawling their way towards full time and on eighty-nine minutes, Lee Feeney's men found an equaliser. In an almost carbon copy of the first home goal, a throw in from the same place again wasn't dealt with properly and from just inside the box, Tiarnan Mulvenna pounced to drill home.

There was still time for some more drama in five minutes of added time. First, Bangor were reduced to ten men when McRoberts received his marching orders for appearing to kick out at McCallion. Then, with two to go, Edogun almost won it for the away side when he nipped in ahead of Deane to get to a loose ball, but he could only find the top of the net with his lobbed effort.

A more than comfortable first half met by a more than flat second, as United had to settle for a draw, in what will surely be considered two points dropped by many.

Match report written by Philip McPeake (www.ballymenaunitedfc.com)