Bangor RFC Notes: I XV 44 v Dromore RFC I XV 10 Sat 5th Oct, 2:30pm. Kukri Qualifying 1.
Another great comeback at Dromore
by Roger Corbett
It was almost a case of déjà vu when Bangor produced a performance similar to that against Coleraine last week. Despite falling behind by 10-5, Bangor scored 39 points without reply to record another emphatic bonus point victory.
With a slight breeze blowing across the pitch, Dromore got the game underway and immediately went on the attack. For the first 10 minutes play seemed to be constantly in Bangor’s twenty two, and only a dogged defence held the home side at bay. However, Bangor have shown that if given half a chance to break they will gladly take it. This was the case after 11 minutes when full-back Davy Charles gathered the ball and saw just enough of a gap between two advancing Dromore players to accelerate through the tackles and set off into the opposition half. Once again, Charles became the ‘try maker’, unselfishly passing to Neil Cuthbertson who sprinted down the right hand side to score, on what was practically Bangor’s first meaningful attack. Jason Morgan’s attempt at goal was missed, making the score 0-5 to Bangor.
Once again Dromore drove forward, keeping Bangor pinned down for long periods. Bangor’s penalty count was growing and from one of these, Dromore kicked for touch just 5 metres from Bangor’s line. Having won their line-out, Dromore started to drive for the line and although the Bangor defence held up pretty well, they were unable to stop the inevitable and Dromore touched down for a converted try, putting them ahead by 7-5. Shortly afterwards, another penalty produced a simple kick in front of the posts to extend the home side’s lead to 10-5, with 27 minutes played.
As the first half entered its closing minutes, it was looking like Bangor would start the second half in arrears. A scrum infringement gave Bangor a free kick on their 10 metre line. From Ricky Armstrong’s quick tap, and some slick handling between forwards and backs, the ball eventually came to Mike Weir who showed great pace and strength to run through the retreating Dromore defence to score a superb individual try. This time Morgan’s kick was successful, putting Bangor back in front by 10-12.
From Dromore’s restart, the ball was received by Andrew Jackson whose attacking run made good ground. Although his run was halted, the ball came back to Armstrong who kicked an up-and-under into the opposition half – a ploy that had been used several times by Dromore earlier. The resulting fumble by the Dromore defender proved costly as Morgan was on hand to snatch the ball and run through from 30 metres out to score. With another successful kick, Bangor’s lead over a stunned Dromore had grown to 10-19 as the first half drew to a close.
The start of the second half was in stark contrast to the opening period, with Bangor on the attack. Clever positional kicking by Morgan kept pushing Dromore back into their own twenty two from which the forwards then fought to regain possession. With just 7 minutes gone, once again Jackson took the ball forward and, from the resulting ruck, the ball was quickly passed from Morgan to Clegg and finally Cuthbertson on the right wing nipped in at the corner for his second try and Bangor’s bonus point. The difficult kick was missed, but Bangor were now in charge at 10-24, and in the space of 10 minutes the game had swung completely in Bangor’s favour.
With 15 minutes gone, another break by the forwards saw captain Jamie Clegg burst for the Dromore line, but he was brought down just short. With support on hand at the time, this might have been seen as a squandered scoring opportunity, but such was the response of the other Bangor players that the ball was recycled from the ensuing ruck and passed between Armstrong, Morgan, and Charles before the final move to Widdowson who touched down in the left hand corner.
In a very similar move, just 8 minutes later, Clegg broke through again, was caught short of the line but the ball was once more retained and passed across the backs to Widdowson who ran around his opposite number to score his second try, giving Bangor a comfortable 10-34 lead.
A Morgan penalty kick added 3 more points but, and as the game moved into added time, Dromore were determined to salvage some dignity from what for them had been a difficult second half. Although they laid siege to Bangor’s line, the solid defence forced the attacks back. Having then won the ball back, and on his third attempt, Clegg set off on another charge. His pace and strength at this late stage in the game, combined with some tired Dromore legs, resulted in a well-deserved score under the Dromore posts, which was easily converted to make the final score 10-44.
This result underlines the performances and results of previous weeks, and now puts Bangor in a strong position in the league. This, however, is now on hold for a week as the focus moves back to the Junior Cup which pits the current league leaders, Portadown, against a Bangor side that knocked them out of last year’s competition. Bangor will be looking for a large turn-out of support at Upritchard Park to help them repeat this success, and maintain their winning momentum.
Bangor side: P Nicol, A Jackson, J Harrison, F Black ( Meeke), R Corbett, P Whyte, G Coughey (J Ferguson), J Clegg (c), R Armstrong, J Morgan, M Widdowson, M Aspley, M Weir, N Cuthbertson, M Widdowson, D Charles
Subs: R Meeke, J Ferguson
Bangor scores: N Cuthbertson (2T), M Weir (1T), J Morgan (1T, 3C, 1P), M Widdowson (2T), J Clegg (1T)
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