Consistency
BANGOR City are badly in need of a tonic when they host Cefn Druids at the Bangor University Stadium this Friday (7.45pm).
The Citizens lost further ground on Welsh Premier leaders The New Saints when they crashed 4-2 at Prestatyn Town last weekend.
It was a third loss in four outings for Kevin Nicholson’s side and they will certainly find a much-improved Druids, an impressive fifth in the table, a hard nut to crack.
“We need to be more consistent in games week to week,” said Bangor boss Nicholson. “We need to get back to basics and we need that winning feeling back.”
City looked well placed to beat Prestatyn when on top at 2-2 with 20 minutes remaining, but the sending off of playmaker Brayden Shaw, followed almost immediately by a wonder goal from Town’s Ben Maher, turned the tables for the Seasiders.
Prestatyn enjoyed a stunning start as in the second minute, Noah Edwards’ shot was deflected into the path of Jack Kenny, who lashed home from eight yards.
Six minutes later the Citizens were level, Dean Rittenberg smartly heading home Danny Holmes’ looping cross from the right.
Moments later Town stopper Carl Jones blocked bravely at the feet of James Demetriou before Shaw curled one narrowly wide.
Bangor were on top as Shaw was denied by Jones, Steven Hewitt’s free kick dipped just wide and Anthony Miley volleyed over from a fine position.
It was no shock when the Citizens made it 2-1 on 24 minutes, Hewitt drilling home low following neat build-up from the left.
Against the run of play, Town levelled when a James Stead corner was headed on by Maher and cleared off the line, but defender Reece Fairhurst thundered the ball into the roof of the net. Prestatyn were now in command, Maher’s magic creating a chance but his shot was kept out by Connor Roberts, who then pushed a Dave Hayes header against the underside of the bar before the danger was cleared.
Maher tested Roberts soon after the restart before Bangor had a goal controversially ruled out in the 48th minute.
Luke Wall’s swirling cross from the right clearly touched no-one and ended up in the net, but the officials decided they had seen an infringement.
Rittenberg had a shot saved, then the ball came back to Wall whose attempt was deflected wide.
Jones bundled Holmes’ fierce strike behind for a corner and it seemed like only a matter of time before Bangor went 3-2 up.
However, in the 72nd minute, City’s Shaw, who has already been yellow- carded for a foolish foul on keeper Jones, was punished again for a tackle from behind and referee Mark Petch, somewhat harshly it appeared, ordered him from the field.
If that was a hammer blow for the visitors, it got worse two minutes later as from all of 35 yards Maher let fly with an absolute cracker which went in off the bar.
Town found their icing on the cake in the 90th minute when Kenny capitalised on indecision by Tom Kennedy to make it 4-2.