Onto a Glynner

Cliftonville 3-1 Bangor

Micheal Glynn bagged an important strike as Cliftonville got the better of Bangor in an action-packed encounter at Solitude this evening.

Ahead at the break courtesy of a well-taken Joe Gormley drive, the Reds were pegged back through Conor Pepper’s unfortunate own goal only for Glynn to instantly restore the home advantage before Brian Healy sealed things with a quarter of an hour to play.

There was still time for Lewis Ridd to make his second penalty save in 10 days as Cliftonville registered a welcome three points.

Things might have been different, however, had the Seasiders taken the lead they looked set to claim on 18 minutes when Arthurs nipped in, rounded Ridd and appeared to tap into the empty net – only for Jonny Addis to produce an heroic goal-line block.

It took the Reds a little while to settle into proceedings but, after forcing visiting keeper Gareth Deane into saves from two Gormley headers and a low drive from Rory Hale, the deadlock was broken when Gormley engineered a bit of space for himself before striking low and hard from the edge of the box.

Debutant Adam Carroll drew another stop from Deane early in the second period and Ridd made an excellent save from Arthurs before Bangor levelled when Pepper was unable to prevent himself from turning a Stephen Fallon shot into his own net.

Straight from kick-off, however, Cliftonville were instantly back in front when Glynn picked up Gormley’s nod down and clipped a strike in off the post.

The woodwork then denied the hosts twice in quick succession with Joseph Toole first to clatter the upright, with Gormley’s rebound ruled out by an offside flag. Within three minutes, Healy struck the other post after getting on the end of Glynn’s cross.

Bangor almost levelled on 69 minutes when another superb header from Arthurs was brilliantly pawed away by Ridd and, soon later, substitute Callum McCay’s dangerous cross forced Deane to claw the ball out from underneath his crossbar.

McCay played a vital role in the Reds extending their advantage thanks to the clever footwork he showed in teeing Healy up for a well-taken finish.

The former Harland & Wolff Welders striker almost extended his tally when he got on the end of a Shaun Leppard cross before Glynn’s foul on Harry Lynch saw the Seasiders awarded a penalty which Lynch took, only to be denied by Ridd.

Right on 90 minutes, Glynn was unlucky to see a curling attempt fly just past the post before Bangor’s Ben Cushnie dragged a shot wide deep into injury-time of a contest that boasted no shortage of chances for either team.

Cliftonville: Ridd, Pepper (J Kelly 63), Addis, Hale, Leppard, McClelland (McCay 71), Gormley (Healy 64), Glynn, Toole, McStravick (Sheridan 63), Carroll (Curran 80). Unused subs: Balfour, Hawthorne.