NIFL Irish Premiership
Bangor 3-1 Cliftonville
Bangor Fuels Arena
CLIFTONVILLE slumped to a 3-1 defeat at the hands of newly promoted Bangor in their opening Premiership fixture at the Bangor Fuels Arena on Sunday afternoon.
The Reds fell behind to a Kyle Owens goal before the break, but Ryan Curran restored parity a few minutes after the restart before Ben Arthurs headed his side back in front and former Cliftonville player Michael Morgan wrapped up victory for his side three minutes from time.
Reds boss Jim Magilton reflected on an extremely disappointing season opener.
“It definitely wasn’t the start we were after,” said Magilton.
“We started the game particularly well, we talked about possession of football, taking the sting out of the game – I thought we did that well. When you’re on top in games like that, you have to score, we’ve hit the bar and had a couple of half chances but we haven't capitalised on that."
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“That gives the opposition, Bangor, in particular coming up from the Championship, a real incentive and then we concede a poor goal. At half time we rallied the troops and said come on we need to play with more tempo in our game. We got back into the game and thought we were going to kick on, and we didn't."
The Cliftonville manager felt his sides defensive frailty and attacking naivety cost them in North Down.
“We didn't defend particularly well, didn't find crosses well, it was naive and the final goal is a really, really poor goal organisationally. We’ve got to do better, we will do better, but it is a real lesson for us."
Magilton’s first starting eleven of the season included summer recruits Conor Barr, Adebayo Fapetu and Rhyss Campbell.
Cliftonville bossed the early possession without seriously testing the hosts' defence. Derry City loanee Conor Barr glanced an effort wide from Rory Hale’s cross in their first promising opening.
SHOCK DEFEAT: Bangor's first game in the top flight sees victory over Reds
Another Hale delivery saw Odhran Casey rise highest in the box to meet the corner from the left, and though the centre-back’s header was tipped over by Gareth Deane, the referee failed to spot the keeper’s intervention and instead of a further set-piece, he pointed for a goal kick.
The newly promoted Seasiders could have taken the lead on the quarter hour mark when Reece Neale picked out Ben Cushnie, however he hesitated when through and opted to square the ball, allowing Cliftonville to clear their lines.
Just before the half hour mark Cliftonville went close again when Odhran Casey thundered a shot off the bar from a Micheál Glynn free kick.
Reece Neale’s 33rd minute free-kick was turned around the post by Lewis Ridd and at the other end Bangor scrambled clear after Campbell got on the end of Hale’s dangerous free-kick.
A piledriver from Lewis Harrison flew inches wide of the target before the deadlock was finally broken before the break.
Neale’s low free-kick was partially pushed away by Ridd, but ex-Cliftonville left-back Stephen McGuinness returned the ball across the face of goal where Kyle Owens poked the ball home to give his side the lead at the interval.
Cliftonville hit back within six minutes of the restart after Odhran Casey’s cross from the left was prodded home at the back post by Ryan Curran.
DISAPPOINTMENT: Reds' boss Jim Magilton felt his side were 'naive' in their opening day defeat at Bangor
An error from Lewis Ridd went unpunished as his slack pass gave Tiarnan Mulvenna an open goal to shoot into, but the Bangor forward could not remain composed and his effort flashed wide.
The Seasiders regained the lead with 20 minutes remaining. Jack O’Mahoney dug out a cross and a cushioned header from Ben Arthurs found the bottom corner to make it 2-1 to the home side.
Jim Magilton’s side were almost back on terms a few minutes later when new signing Adebayo Fapetu made room for a shot from distance and his wicked attempt cannoned off the underside of the bar and out.
Bangor would seal all three points on the 87th minute when substitute Liam Burns' free-kick was glanced into the corner of net by ex-Cliftonville youngster Michael Morgan.
The visitors couldn’t muster a response in the closing stages as they fell to a rare opening day defeat at the hands of newly-promoted Bangor.
BANGOR: Deane, Neale, Owens, Harrison (Ferguson 88’), Hassian, Mulvenna (Burns 75’), Arthurs (Garrett 88’), Cushnie (Morgan 68’), O’Mahoney (Matthison 88’), Lynch. McGuinness.
CLIFTONVILLE: Ridd, Keaney, Casey (Corrigan 82’), Addis, Barr (Conlon 70’), Wilson (Gormley 46’), Hale, Fapetu, Gly,, Curran (Falls 70’), Campbell.
REFEREE: Tim Marshall
