March 28, 2024

Y Clwb Pêl-droed

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Cardiff Metropolitan University 1-2 Bangor City – Citizens grind out narrow win to leapfrog Bala into third

Strikes from Alex Darlington and Dean Rittenberg were enough to give Bangor City a narrow 2-1 win against Cardiff Metropolitan University in the JD Welsh Premier League on Sunday. The win means that Bangor overtake Bala into third place, while the Archers remain fifth.

Met looked to start brightly, with Eliot Evans picking up the ball just left of the area. Evans looked to test stopper Matthew Hall early on, firing an effort that could only find the keeper from long distance.

Bangor came straight back only moments later however, with Laurence Wilson firing a cross from the right but despite two players getting close, it agonisingly missed both before stumbling out for a goal kick.

Striker Adam Roscrow looked sharp for the home side, and nearly helped his side break the deadlock when he broke into the box from the right and squared it to Dylan Rees who should have scored, but his scuffed effort fell straight into Hall’s hands.

The Archers found success with the long ball, with Roscrow using his pace to great effect.  The number 9 brought the ball down brilliantly with a sublime first touch, however he found himself isolated and took the ball wide, with the narrow angle seeing his effort slide just past the left post.

The visitors instead found their best chances coming through set-pieces, when in the 21st minute of play Steven Hewitt swung a corner through the Met defence, with Will Fuller charging out but misjudging the flight of the ball. The cross instead dropped sweetly for defender Luke Wall but his half volley was mis-hit and flew well over the bar.

The home side came close to going ahead again in the 24th minute, as a long ball over the top found Roscrow once more, who blitzed the defence with his acceleration to find himself one on one with the keeper, but his low effort was well parried by the keeper away from danger.

Cardiff Met would come to rue this chance, when in the 30th minute Alex Darlington found himself through on goal after a ball over the top, with his initial chipped effort well parried by Will Fuller.

The number eight was relentless however, collecting the rebound and slotting the ball into the net, despite Joel Edwards’ best efforts to stop the goal on the line.

Met would quickly regroup and did not find themselves behind for long, when in the 36th minute a free kick on the right side of the box was well delivered by Eliot Evans.

The winger found the head of a leaping Emlyn Lewis, who was completely unmarked before guiding the ball into the top left of the net to equalise for the home side.

Cardiff Met continued their momentum after the restart, as they began to get into rhythm. Slick interplay between Will Evans and Roscrow found the number nine in space within the area, as the forward hesitated before firing an effort low towards the right-hand side of the goal, and despite having Matthew Hall beaten he was denied by the woodwork.

Bangor once more punished the home side for not taking their opportunities, when in the 54th minute of play, Steven Hewitt broke down the right-hand side.

The creative spark for the visitors, he whipped a dangerous cross into the six-yard area, finding an advancing Rittenberg who slotted the ball into Will Fullers net to restore the visitors advantage.

The Archers couldn’t find their scoring touch in the second period, and it showed in the 69th minute when a free kick from 25-yards out was sweetly struck by Eliot Evans, however he could only watch in despair as his effort cannoned off the crossbar.

Victory for Bangor sees them extend their points differential to 12 over the Archers, with Dr. Christian Edwards no doubt leaving a frustrated man after so many missed opportunities.

Cardiff Metropolitan University: Fuller, Rees, Edwards, McCarthy, Lewis, Barnett(53), E Evans, Corsby, Roscrow, Lam, W Evans(66).

Substitutes: Baker (53), Spencer (66), Bowler, James, Morgan, D Evans

Bangor City:Hall, Gosset, Kennedy, Wall (85), Miley, Harry, Hewitt, Darlington, Holmes, Rittenberg (75), Wilson.

Substitutes: Shaw, Roberts, Zama (75), Taylor-Fletcher, Williams, Bembo-Leta (85), Jones.

(Featured image: Jordan Jones)

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