MUST-WIN CLASH THIS SATURDAY
Pressure on for Nev’s boys in blue:
BANGOR City badly need a win at Carmarthen Town this Saturday to revive their hopes of a Europa League play-off spot.
The Citizens slipped down to ninth in the Welsh Premier last weekend after a surprise 2-0 home loss to Port Talbot Town.
Next up is a visit to an Old Gold outfit boosted after winning 4-2 at Aberystwyth last Saturday.
Carmarthen have already beaten Bangor twice this season and are a place above Neville Powell’s men.
City will have striker Steve Lewis available again following a onematch suspension, while the fitness of knee injury victims Declan Walker and Ryan Edwards will need to be assessed.
Definitely out will be winger Sion Edwards, who is banned after his sending-off in the Port defeat.
Talbot recorded a third consecutive win over the Citizens this season via a Luke Bowen double.
City started brightly, an acrobatic shot from Porya Ahmadi forcing keeper Steve Cann into a save.
A 25-yarder from Sion Edwards whistled over the crossbar before Bangor appeals for a penalty were turned down by referee Huw Jones after left-back Matthew Long blocked a shot with his arms high.
A Damien Allen strike from outside the box went narrowly over. Sion Edwards then hit a cross-come-shot which Cann cleared unorthodoxly before Sam Hart cut in from the byline and forced the keeper to punch nervously away.
Bangor again began the second half promisingly, but Port took the lead on 61 minutes when a counter -attack saw Bowen coolly slot home.
Bowen doubled his tally just four minutes later when a moment’s hesitation between keeper Connor Roberts and Leon Clowes allowed the Talbot frontman to capitalise.
City manager Powell then made a triple substitution with Christian Langos, Shaun Cavanagh and Michael Elstone coming on in place of Matty Woodward, Chris Jones and Ahmadi.
In the 77th minute Sion Edwards received two quick yellow cards and was dismissed for a seemingly legitimate challenge.
Soon after, the speedy Langos broke down the right before being felled by the onrushing Cann several yards outside his area.
With the home faithful clamouring for a red card, referee Jones awarded a throw-in to the visitors which left the crowd perplexed, to put it mildly.