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Match reports
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CITY 1 - 3 THE NEW SAINTS
10 MARCH 2012
MIKE SMITH'S MATCH REPORT
 Bangor lost 3-1 at home for the second Saturday in succession and, oddly enough, in both matches trailed 3-0 at the interval and scored their solitary goal within two minutes of the restart.
With Jame Brewerton suspended Dave Morley began at centrehalf with both Alan Bull and Neil Thomas handed recalls after some weeks out of favour.
TNS started the brighter and in the opening moments Lee Idzi saved well from Greg Draper and then the towering Steve Evans who was outstanding throughout. The Greens went close again inside six minutes as Draper capitalised on a mistimed header from Dave Morley but Lee Idzi slid out once more to save. On ten minutes Steve Evans caught Chris Jones with his boot - accidental but painful - and on the quarter hour a first sight at goal for Bangor as Peter Hoy sliced well wide from the edge of thebox after Evans' for once misplaced a clearing header. But on 18 minutes the visitors had the lead.
Steve Evans slid the ball through the City defence for Greg Draper to round Idzi before finishing calmly from the left to the delight of the twenty Saints followers behind the goal. From the restart Alex Darlington shot on target but Idzi saved well.
Recalled midfielder Neil Thomas was putting in a brave shift in midfield with some saving tackles and one went beyond the permitted as he caught Darlington and was yellow card on 25 minutes.
City went close two minutes later as Craig Garside headed too close to Paul Harrison from Peter Hoy's cross.
On the half hour Les Davies shot on target, City won their third corner of the afternoon and the blue supporters amongst the seven hundred strong Nantporth crowd felt the game was moving their way. But TNS responded through Draper whose progress into the box was denied by Dave Morley. A string of corners for the visitors followed as Idzi saved well from Tom Roberts and from the fifth flag kick Alan Bull rushed clear down the right and sent over a deep cross which Les Davies side footed behind. Bangor forced a couple of corner, Neil Thomas saw his shot blocked on the edge of the box, but two goals in four minutes from The Saints suddenly shattered home hopes.
First a booming clearance from Phil Baker found Aeron Edwards who rushed on goal to chip Lee Idzi from twenty yards. The four minutes later on 41, a mix up on the right allowed Greg Draper to prod home under pressure from Dave Morley.
City tried to respond, won a sixth corner but ended up saved once more by Lee Idzi who saved bravely from Draper as the Kiwi sought his hatrick. So at half time for the second Saturday in a row City trailed 3-0 at half time.
HALF TIME 0-3 Before the restart City sent on Clive Williams in midfield in place of Craig Garside and to his credit the versatile youngster put in an industrious shift against the full timers.
As the week before Bangor bounced back immediately. Chris Jones shot low from the right, goalkeeper Harrison parried and blues midfielder Neil Thomas smashed home from ten yards. The City fans bellowed loudly - once again - in anticipation of a fightback.
Moments later Bangor won a freekick but Les Davies's piledriver hit the wall which stood its ground bravely. A seventh Bangor corner caught Harrison in two minds but the danger passed.
Five minutes after the restart Michael Johnston was wrongly yellow carded for a wholly unintentional clash with Darlington on half way. City pushed forward, urged on by the home support, and Les Davies rose to the challenge to see Harrison save his goalbound header after a shot had been blocked by Baker.
TNS responded through Denbigh lad Tom Roberts whose shot was blocked at the last by Peter Hoy for a seventh Saints corner which was cleared. Les Davies was at the heart of everything City forged and his floated diagonal picked out Peter Hoy cutting in from the right but his effort was denied by the upright.
Chaos then ensued as Hoy caught leftback Marriott with a heavy challenge and was yellow carded after some angry exchanges which also resulted in a similar caution for Phil Baker. Once play got underway Les Davies galloped on goal but Harrison and Baker combined to clear the danger.
On the hour a tenth Bangor corner was flapped at by Harrison but City could not capitalise. Five minutes later Christian Seargeant replaced Ward in the visitors midfield but it was City who pressed with a Hoy long throw which struck Edwards on the arm and encouraged loud cries of handball from the blues fans behind that City End goal. Nothing doing and the frustration got the better of Les Davies who was carded for a trip on Marriott. Alan Bull turned and shot on target but Baker blocked for an eleventh Bangor corner before on 70 minutes Craig Jones replaced the stumpy Fraughan who had not entirely lived up to his billing.
Two minutes later Chris Jones turned and shot but - shot wide. On 75 minutes Sion Edwards replaced Neil Thomas who had worked hard in midfield and the left winger announced his arrival with a long range shot which flew well wide.
Young Sam Finley replaced Darlington but it was City who pressed through Chris Roberts but his cross was headed wide by Chris Jones. Tom Roberts slid in at the back post but just failed to get a touch as TNS countered.
Five minutes from time Kyle Wilson came on for Jones who looked spent. The final minutes fiizzled out with neither side able to command the ball but the visitors seeing the clock wind down.
So a second 3-1 home defeat for Bangor and much to ponder for Messrs Powell and Limbert with five league games remaining.
11 March 2012
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