South win top two clash but do it the hard way

Before the game, their opponents occupied second position but the result puts South four clear of Portadown with a game in hand.

They had two do it the hard way, coming from 2-0 down early in the game.

Bangor took a shock lead from a short corner, completely against the run of play. A short corner save ended up at the stick of the injector who duly finished the chance to stun the South defence.

South’s despair was deepened moments later when another short corner was conceded and dispatched past Mark Hutchinson in the South goal. Two behind for the second time in three weeks, South were going to have to improve their precision if they were to repeat their heroics against Portadown and maintain top spot.

With approximately 15 minutes left in the half, South began to find gaps up front and the pressure soon told.

Simon Watt was able to reduce the arrears after he slotted home a scrambled clearance following good work from Chris Henry. South then drew level after Adam Glass slotted home a powerful drag flick from a short corner.

Having battled hard to get back into the game, South would have been happy to hear the half-time whistle. However, with moments remaining, a quickly taken free allowed Adam Glass to step into the D and unleash an unstoppable tomahawk past the helpless Bangor keeper and into the top left corner to put South ahead.

After the break, a dazzling individual goal from Chris Henry - beating four players en route from the half way line - stretched South’s advantage. This was followed by a sumptuous counter attacking goal. Jonny Patterson read and intercepted a short corner routine before excellently picking out Ward Phillips, who lifted the ball expertly, displaying fine 3D skills over a defender’s stick before playing a 30 yard reverse stick pass to Nathan Gamble. He combined well down the right and fed Simon Watt who made no mistake from close range.

Bangor did manage a third, a well worked short corner deflected past the South keeper, but there was still time for South to grab a sixth, with Matthew Getty and Simon Watt exchanging passes to tee up Ward Phillips to complete the scoring.