City squander chances in New Year opener
BANGOR City will look to bounce back from their first defeat in 10 matches when they host Newtown in the JD Welsh Premier League this Friday (7.45pm).
A 90th minute goal from Marc Williams snatched the points for Llandudno in a dramatic 1-0 win at Nantporth on New Year’s Day.
City only had themselves to blame for losing a match they controlled for the most part but were found badly wanting in the finishing department.
In the very first minute Dean Rittenberg smartly set up Danny Gosset, who lashed inches wide. Gary Taylor-Fletcher and Rittenberg worked Tudno keeper Dave Roberts before Steven Hewitt’s hanging delivery had the custodian back-pedalling and the ball bounced off the bar.
Llandudno defender Mike Williams should have done better from a free header but could only find the grateful arms of Matthew Hall, who launched a counter from which Luke Wall’s left-foot effort was brilliantly held by Roberts.
Bangor lost experienced defender Paul Connolly and midfielder Gosset both to injury in that opening 45 minutes.
The hosts began the second half as strongly as they did the first, substitute Brayden Shaw seeing his 20-yard missile pushed behind for a corner.
The all-blues kept piling on the pressure, the Tudno defence blocking three shots in quick succession in the 67th minute.
Llandudno’s first threat of the second half came on 70 minutes when Danny Hughes fired straight down Hall’s throat from 18 yards.
Then in the 90th minute, Hall’s attempted clearance ballooned up in the air of the closing-down Williams, who won the chase to the loose ball and found the net.