League 1C: Bryansburn Rangers 1 Bangor Swifts 2

1^sts brief winning streak ended in 1-2 defeat at the hands of local rivals Bangor Swifts. ‘Burn put up a brave fight, and may have even snatched an undeserved winner when denied a late penalty, but there were clear signs that the glut of midweek matches were beginning to have an adverse effect of the full squad.

Two minutes into the game Tolson was unlucky not to snatch an opener when his header from a Ballantyne cross was safely collected by the Swift’s keeper but within a few minutes ‘Burn’s goalie Close had to dive low to touch a goal-bound effort around the post. Coard and Tolson worked a great move through the centre of the park only for the former’s shot to force another save and Bryansburn again looked threatening when Thompson passed to C. Cooling who shot just wide of the far post after 20 minutes. The Swifts were slowly finding their feet with a number of breaks down the left and were denied first by a Close save and then by a goal-line Morrison block before a sweet 15 yard effort saw them grab a 1-0 lead after 25 minutes. Clearly rattled, Bryansburn’s McMullan, Gray and A. Cooling were forced to dig deep to stem a number of attacks and it wasn’t until the 38^th minute that the midfield managed to combine to give Thompson a one-on-one with the visiting keeper which saw his lob drift inches wide of an equaliser. Swift’s responded almost immediately with a free header from a cross somehow missing the target before a classic Bryansburn kamikaze defensive move allowed their No.10 to double the lead with 41 minutes gone.  ‘Burn looked down and out but great running from Tolson and continuing pressure from Stannex and Ballantyne eventually won a 20 yard free kick which Coard calmly curled into the roof of the net for a hopeful 1-2 halftime score-line.

The second half saw Bryansburn apply most of the pressure with an early Thompson break almost beating the keeper and McMullan and A. Cooling providing great supply down the flanks. A Tolson cross narrowly missed Thompson at the back post, Stannex miscued when through on goal but Close was once again called into action to clear a suicidal back-pass and prevent Swifts restoring their two goal lead. ‘Burn brought on Higginson Hanna and Parks to replace tiring legs and re-shuffled to go all-out for an equaliser but Bangor Swifts were finishing the stronger side and saw three or four chances go begging. With only minutes left on the clock Stannex broke through to be floored when rounding the keeper but with no whistle from the referee the game was over and the home side’s last chance had gone.

5 games in 13 days is a tough hurdle but ‘Burn can take heart in a dogged performance against a strong side. Great performances from A. Cooling and A. McMullan with “never-say-die” support from the full squad.