Honours even in Banbridge derby

Banbridge Rangers 2

BANBRIDGE AFC welcomed Banbridge Rangers in Cheney Park looking to find how their new look team would do against promotion hopefuls Rangers.

Just like in previous weeks AFC got off to a bad start going a goal down. A mistake by Smith in nets led to a penalty which was smashed home by Chambers, putting Rangers one up.

The home side didn't let this early setback knock them for six and went straight at Rangers looking to make amends. They pushed, hassled and squeezed Rangers all over the pitch. This seemed to knock the away team off their game and raised AFC's game.

Fifteen minutes into the game the Cheney Park men got the equalizer they deserved. Walsh picked the ball up in defence looked up and spotted Rangers back line had pushed high up the pitch and picked out Rooney's perfect run to beat the offside trap. This left him one on one with the Rangers keeper; a low drive into the net and it was all square.

Rangers were now on the back foot and AFC were hungry for more goals and 25 minutes went 2-1 up. Gartland won the ball back for the home side in the middle of the park then slipped an exquisite ball out to the right wing.

Ryan McDowell raced down the line and after he skipped past the defender he whipped a ball into the box. Rooney lost his marker again at the back post and powerfully headed AFC into the lead.

For the rest of the half Rangers found it hard breaking through the midfield of McKay, McCourt, Gartland and McDowell so they resorted to long ball tactics. This nearly worked when they won a free kick just outside the box but the resulting free kick hit the bar and went over, leaving AFC to go in at the break 2-1 up.

The second half was a complete contrast to the first. Rangers were now the team dictating the game and did so for the rest of the game. AFC weren't the attacking force they were in the first half but lucky for them their back four and keeper weren't in a mood to give in without a battle. Time and time again with their backs against the wall, Smith, Buchanan, Walsh, Anderson and Myles put in a superhuman performance keeping Rangers at bay.

AFC were now relying on McKay's speed on the counter attacks but it just wasn't his day.

They nearly went 3-1 up when Smith kicked the ball out of his hands the full length of the pitch and the bounce nearly caught the Rangers keeper sleeping, leaving him scurrying to push the ball out for a corner.

Even with all the battling to keep Rangers at bay nothing was going to stop Rangers getting a point which they deserved on their second half possession of the ball.

With 15 minutes to go a deep cross to the back post was connected sweetly on the half volley by Clydesdale and the score was now equal again at 2-2.

Rangers huffed and puffed a bit more but AFC stood strong leaving both teams to share the spoils after 90 minutes.

After the game joint AFC manager Pete McBride said, "It was a game of two halves, us in the first and them in the second, but a draw was a fair result."

Best for AFC were Walsh and Smith. Next week AFC play Rangers again at Cheney Park in the Mid Ulster Cup.