Title hopes are dented

For much of the game Banbridge Rangers dominated possession and territory but Seagoe frustrated Rangers with some resolute defending and managed to snatch a point with only a minute left on the referee’s clock.

Banbridge Rangers made one change from the team that started against Richhill with Neil Clydesdale making his first start on the right wing with Colin Cousins filling in at right back in the absence of Bradley Hughes.

The opening period was a scrappy affair for both sides with Seagoe sitting deep in their own half and waiting on the counter attack with Rangers pressing the channels for an outlet. Several long range efforts went well over from Rangers before Gareth Fulton blazed one over from inside the box after just 20 minutes.

Seagoe began to push forward on the half hour mark and became exposed for the first time in the game when McMinn picked out Clydesdale on the right hand side who was left one on one with his marker. Clydesdale ran direct at goal and flicked the ball outside his marker who couldn’t get his standing leg out of the way leaving the referee with no option but to award a penalty.

Clydesdale took the resultant kick and dispatched with ease sending the Seagoe the keeper the wrong way.

Banbridge Rangers pressed for a second immediately but it was Seagoe who had their tails up going into half time managing to get a couple of shots away at Blevins before the interval.

The second half saw Rangers dominate most of the possession with Seagoe more than happy to take their chances by encamping on the edge of the eighteen yard area.

Several chances went a miss throughout the second period with Gourley firing wide and Fulton heading just over on sixty minutes after a brilliant first time cross from Willie Frazer.

John McCahon came on in a straight swap up front for Jason Gourley with just over ten minutes remaining but the more the match continued the more Seagoe found confidence to press forward.

In injury time a lapse in marking allowed Seagoe a free shot from the edge of the area which was parried by Blevins and the Seagoe striker was quickest to react and blasted the rebound under Blevins from inside the six yard box.

This was the fourth draw in the league this season which leaves Rangers on the same points dropped as Lisanally with only Camlough Rovers left in a better position to take the Intermediate B title. This Saturday Banbridge Rangers face Lurgan Town at Cheney Park and will be looking for maximum points with the league taking a back seat the following weekend as Banbridge Rangers take on Camlough Rovers in the final of the Alan Wilson Cup on Friday 15th April in Armagh.