Bangor continued their recent good form to maintain their one point lead at the top of Qualifying League 1 with a resounding 50-8 bonus point win at the Cran against a determined but tired Clogher Valley side.

Following their exertions in Tuesday’s winning mid-week catch-up games against Cooke and Ards respectively, both teams selected their strongest available squads for yet another challenging fixture. Bangor showed four changes from the Cooke game. In the pack, Michael Ferguson and James Leary returned to the front row with Curtis Stewart starting at No 8. In the backs, Jason Morgan returned to inside centre with the Desi Fusco switching to the right wing in place of the unavailable Neil Cuthbertson and injured Davy Charles. Clogher Valley, third in the table, and undefeated in the league at home, was on the cusp of a top four finish dependent on other results. Bangor, by contrast, knew that nothing less than a bonus point win was required to keep them ahead of Instonians at the top of the table in this, their penultimate league game. The fine weather of recent weeks ensured that playing conditions were excellent on a cool, calm and sunny early spring afternoon.

Clogher Valley kicked off down the slope and despite a clean take by Jamie Clegg, Bangor found themselves under intense early pressure. This was compounded by an over eagerness to compete for the ball in contact leading to a number of early penalties for the home side. With three minutes gone, Clogher scrumhalf Trotter opened the scoring with a penalty kick from 30 metres and to the right of the posts to give the home side an early 3-0 lead. Continued Clogher pressure from the restart saw Bangor pinned back deep in their own half. A rare early penalty to Bangor close to their line relieved the situation. However, Bangor still struggled to get out of their own half and on seven minutes were lucky not to concede a further three points when Trotter’s second penalty attempt from 35 metres rebounded off the upright.

Bangor gradually fought their way back but it was a full 12 minutes into the game before they gained their first foothold in the Clogher half. With Clogher visibly tiring, Bangor ramped up their intensity, breaking the gain line with every drive through the forwards, spreading the ball wide, clearing out and recycling the ball efficiently. Bangor kept the pressure on and on 14 minutes David Bradford crashed over to the right of the posts from a short Morgan pass to open Bangor’s scoring. Mark Widdowson’s successful conversion put Bangor in front by 7-3. Bangor took the restart well and were soon deep in Clogher territory again. Bradford soon went over from close range to the right of the posts for his second try, again converted by Widdowson to extend Bangor’s lead to 14-3 on 18 minutes. Clogher regrouped and regained a foothold in the Bangor half, but not for long. With the territorial contest evenly balanced, Bangor’s aptitude for gaining ground quickly was ably demonstrated over the next ten minute by another fine break from deep by Fusco on the right wing which opened up space inside for the supporting Morgan with a clear run to the line but the pass was ruled forward. A further penalty to Bangor inside the Clogher half resulted in an excellent touch-finder from Gareth Millar. From the lineout catch and drive the ball was moved to Ross McCloskey who crashed over in the corner for Bangor’s third try. Score 19-3 to Bangor with 28 minutes played. Five minutes later, a Bangor turnover deep inside their own half caught Clogher by surprise, Clegg taking the ball close to the Clogher 22 where the ever alert Widdowson took the final pass and ran through to touch down under the posts. The conversion extended Bangor’s lead to 26-3 with a winning bonus point now assured. To Clogher’s credit, they rallied strongly, and a period of sustained pressure on the Bangor line was rewarded with a try by fullback Agnew in the right hand corner in first half stoppage time. Half time score 26-8 to Bangor.

With the bonus point secured, Bangor began the second half with an intensity and ruthlessness that soon had Clogher reeling. On 42 minutes, Mike Ferguson crashed over from short range for another converted try. Five minutes later Curtis Stewart took a short pass from Morgan on half way to score another converted try under the posts. A minute later, and Widdowson finished off another excellent Bangor backline move in the left hand corner with his second and Bangor’s seventh try. Bangor’s lead had now extended to 45-8 with just nine minutes of the second half played. Jason Guthrie then scored Bangor’s eighth try on 58 minutes following a clean break from halfway to bring the score to 50-8. Surprisingly the referee disallowed what was a good conversion attempt by Widdowson, the ball veering wide but drifting back in and over the crossbar off the inside of the right hand post. Unfortunately the referee missed this as he had by then turned his back and was making his way back to halfway for the restart. With Clogher Valley struggling with injuries and the game long over as a contest, both Captains agreed to call time early on 60 minutes.

Although the margin of victory was somewhat unexpected, the result was no more than Bangor’s all round impressive performance against a struggling Clogher Valley side deserved. In the tightest of finishes to Qualifying League 1 in many years, Bangor remain one point ahead of Instonians, who also managed a bonus point win against Cooke on Saturday. Bangor now play Ballyclare in their final league game this Thursday night at Upritchard Park, while Instonians complete their programme at home to Portadown on Saturday. Ballyclare will undoubtedly provide a very stiff challenge to Bangor following their recent strong league performances, yet Bangor know that their destiny is in their own hands and that only another big performance will be required to bring them the bonus point win they require to take the title. This promises to be a thrilling finale to the league season and a huge crowd is expected to support the players and coaching staff in their quest to win the Qualifying League 1 title for the first time.

Bangor team: M Ferguson, P Whyte, J Leary, D Kelly, C Burton, D Bradford, J Clegg (c), C Stewart, J Guthrie, G Millar, M Widdowson, J Morgan, M Weir, D Fusco, R McCloskey

Subs: A Jackson, M Aspley

Bangor scorers: D Bradford (2T), R McCloskey (1T), M Widdowson (2T, 5C), C Stewart (1T), M Ferguson (1T), J Guthrie (1T)

(thanks to guest reporter Norman Gault)