Bangor bag double bonus at Rainey

Bangor’s build up to the AIL continued to improve as they pushed Div 2B side Rainey hard to pick up two bonus points despite narrowly losing by 33-26 in the SONI Premiership.
In good playing conditions, Bangor kicked off into a slight breeze. Having learnt from previous slow beginnings, they started well and were showing real signs of positive attack. Despite being outsized by the big Rainey pack, the Bangor scrum was solid and on occasion was pushing their opponents back. However, it was in the lineout that Rainey excelled and it was from this set piece that they opened the scoring. A kick to touch following a penalty, saw Rainey with the put-in deep inside Bangor’s twenty two. The lineout was cleanly taken, allowing the pack to form a solid driving maul which eventually saw Stephen Rutledge get over in the corner for the try. Scott McLaine missed the difficult conversion, but the home side were ahead by 5-0 after 8 minutes of play.

If Bangor were disappointed by this unexpected try, they didn’t show it. While the Rainey backs seemed keen to move the ball across their backs, Bangor’s covering defence limited their forward progress. Bangor also moved the ball well across their backs, but were always looking to break the Rainey line. Within 6 minutes of going behind it was Zach Kerr, playing his last game for Bangor before jetting off for a spell in New Zealand, who made one of his characteristic barging runs to create the opening and run through towards the Rainey twenty two. Good support by James Henly, returning from a lengthy period of injury, took Kerr’s offload and brought play towards the centre before passing to Declan Maguire who, despite juggling the ball for a yard or so, managed to hold on to it and run through and touch down between the posts. With his added conversion, Bangor had now taken the lead by 5-7.

Bangor were playing with more confidence now, but in their anxiety to maintain their attacking pressure, they paid the penalty for attempting some risky offloads instead of perhaps taking the ball to ground and building from there. When Bangor made a hopeful pass while still inside their own half, the ball went loose before being snapped up by the alert Rainey attack. A couple of quick passes saw Michael McCusker go clear and score, with McLaine adding the extras to regain the lead by 12-7.

For most of the remaining 16 minutes, Bangor held firm despite coming under sustained pressure, and were looking forward to the prospect of turning around at half time with just a 5 point deficit. However, with the last play of the half, the Rainey pack again rumbled forward when within sight of the line, and prop Kieran Donaghy drove over close to the posts. The simple conversion was successful, resulting in Rainey taking a 19-7 lead at half time.

Bangor started the second half poorly, losing possession straight from the kick-off and continuing to be under pressure in most of the opening exchanges. It also didn’t help that their previously secure scrum was starting to creak, as replacements on both sides began to have their effect. Once again, it was Rainey’s dependable execution of the penalty kick to touch, the subsequent lineout and forward drive that led to their next try. This time it was substitute Daniel O’Neill who was pushed over for a converted try after 7 minutes of the second half played. Undeterred, Bangor settled themselves and, with the forwards making the hard yards through the centre, the backs began to show their pace. After 21 minutes, Phil Broderick looked to have got past the Rainey defence and got the ball down in the corner, but the ball was judged to have been held up. However, from the resulting scrum, Bangor picked up where they had left off and ensured justice was done as Lewis Stevenson crashed over close to the Rainey posts which gave Maguire an easy conversion.

With the score now at 26-14, Bangor were back in the game and within a score of at least securing a losing bonus point. However, with their scrum going backwards, Rainey were awarded a penalty and, once again their subsequent lineout continued to provide the platform for their best attacking chances. Another cleanly taken ball was taken forward before the Rainey number 8, Michael McCusker, broke clear and dived over from short distance to extend his side’s lead to 33-14, with just 10 minutes of the game remaining.

To the home supporters on the touchline, the game now looked all but over, and were urging their side on to add to their already impressive tally of points. However, Bangor continue to be at their most dangerous in the closing period of the game, and within 4 minutes of Rainey’s last score, managed to close on their opponents through another Stevenson try out on the left hand side. Whether the Rainey players were tiring or were simply sitting back in the expectation of cruising to victory, they seemed unprepared for Bangor’s increase in tempo. With Shaun Fair having come on as scrum half, this saw Mark Widdowson move into the centre. Finding himself in a little more space than before, Widdowson showed he still has plenty of pace and broke through the Rainey back line before passing to Broderick outside him who finished off the flowing move by touching down under the posts for a converted try. With the score now at 33-26, Bangor had not only gained a losing bonus point, but had also recorded their fourth try and with it another bonus point.

By now there were only 3 minutes remaining, and another converted try by Bangor would level the scores. However, although Bangor were now playing with more attack and invention, Rainey regained enough composure to play out the final few phases before kicking the ball into touch and bringing proceedings to a close.

It’s a strange feeling for Bangor to lose another game, yet somehow feel pleased with the performance. To pick up two bonus points away from home and against a side that was knocking on the door of Div 2A last season, is quite an achievement and something to take real confidence from, especially heading into the opening rounds of the All Ireland League next weekend. Although the loss of some players to travel and university will have an impact, Bangor are already feeling the effects of senior players returning from injury, not to mention the impending arrival of new and exciting players to bolster some key positions. Bangor’s evolving coaching structure will certainly have plenty to take heart from as they prepare to travel to Malahide next Saturday.