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Match reports
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CITY 6 - 1 CAERNARFON WANDERERS
NORTH WALES COAST CHALLENGE CUP
24 JANUARY 2012
FIRST MATCH AT NANTPORTH
MIKE SMITH'S MATCH REPORT
 Bangor duly won this first NWCFA Challenge Cup tie and celebrated the first ever game at Nantporth in style.
And the race to score the first ever goal at the new stadium was won by Chris Jones who led the way with both opening goals.
But this was really all about the new ground and with supporters queing at the turnstyles the kick off was delayed by fifteen minutes to allow the near 1300 strong crowd to file in.
City kicked off attacking the Bridge End (could also be called the Normal End!) although there was no wind or benefit in that direction. The first clear chance fell to Caernarfon Wanderers but Lee Idzi raced out to the edge of his box to clear. But on nine minutes it was City who took the lead as Chris Jones netted from Les Davies turn and cross on the left. The Nefyn marksman celebrated the first ever Nantporth goal with his team mates.
Three minutes later Chris Jones was celebrating again as his run on the right led ended with a clean finish beyond Dylan Roberts who must have been starting to fear the worst.
Bangor was passing the ball around crisply with Damien Allen and Craig Garside in complete control and everyone else eager to get on the ball. No one more so than Les Davies who 20th minute header made it 3-0 after Sion Edwards has crossed a corner from the right.
On 28 minutes it was 4-0 as Chris Jones crossed from the right and Sion Edwards smashed the ball through the defenceless Roberts from six yards.
Bangor kept playing, a light rain drifted across the pitch, and city fans gradually worked out their preferred position along the terraces or in the stands.
Just after the half hour Bangor went 5-0 up as midfielder Craig Garside rifled home from close range with the Wanderers defence flat footed. The only real surprise then was that the final fifteen minutes remained goalless. But credit to the visitors who stuck to their task, defended bravely and refused to resort to strong arm tactics.
On 45 minutes referee Petch blew for the interval and both sides - and the thousand strong crowd - turned their thoughts to a hot cuppa and a place to dry out if needed.
HALF TIME 2-1
At half time manager Powell broke with tradition and made two changes, bringing on Alan Bull and Mark Smyth for Chris Jones and Craig Garside. Smyth slotted in alongside Damien Allen whilst Bull trotted out to the right wing as Bangor now played towards the Farrar End.
Midfielder Dylan Parry had enjoyed a good first half for The Wanderers and he went close with a header minutes after the restart but Lee Idzi rightly judged it might fly wide.
On 51 minutes though it was 6-0 to Bangor as Damien Allen shot from distance and the ever alert Alan Bull got the slightest of deflections to beat Roberts from six yards. If anything this seemed to deflate City who grew wasteful, whilst at the same time inspiring goalkeeper Roberts who pulled off some great saves from Les Davies, Alan Bull and Sion Edwards.
Caernarfon rallied now and substitute Gavin Lloyd Jones ran goalwards from the left and forced Lee Idzi into a sharp save which resulted in their first corner of the evening. Opposite number Roberts was in the thick of the action again as Alan Bull's powerful strike was pushed away.
On 75 minutes a change for Bangor as Chris Roberts limped off to be replaced by Penrhosgarnedd youngster Corey Jones who is highly rated by the reserve and youth coaches.
Corey slid into centre mid with Mark Smyth filling in at left back. But with eight minutes on the clock Caernarfon got the consolation they deserved as Gavin Lloyd Jones ran through to beat Idzi with a calm finish from the edge of the box.
The Wanderers fans celebrated noisily and most Bangor fans joined in the applause. It would be fair also to applaud the efforts of burly centreback Mark Williams who chased and harried tirelessly for the visitors. And that was about it as the final scoreline 6-1 confirms. A good evening's football on what looks like an excellent playing surface with both sides doing their best ot entertain the curious and persistent watching on.
26 January 2012
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