Bangor made sure their name was in the hat for the quarter-finals of the Steel and Sons Cup with a comfortable victory over Shorts.
The Seasiders’ reward for their demolition of the Amateur League side is a home tie with East Belfast.
The opening eleven minutes suggested that a rout might be on the cards. Andy Long controlled a Brett Widdowson pass on his chest but sent his left footed effort against the post in theeighth minute.
Sixty seconds later Brandon Nelson rattled the underside of the crossbar from 10 yards after the ball broke kindly for the midfielder.
Then, in the 11th minute, Bangor got the breakthrough when Mark Cooling found the bottom corner with his 20-yard free kick.
However, the early onslaught did not continue as Shorts began to disrupt the Seasiders. Thomas McCafferty robbed Gareth Beattie of possession but could find no way past Paul Cairnduff from just outside the Bangor penalty area.
Jack Mallin led the Bangor charge from midfield in the 39th minute but his powerful run was halted by goalkeeper Ben Thompson as he threw himself at the midfielder’s feet.
When Brandon Nelson was caught in possession in his own penalty area in the 57th minute, Bangor manager Hugh Sinclair reacted to Craig Martin’s miss with a double change. Gerard McMullan and Calvert replaced Andy Long and Jack Wasson, and the change paid off instantly as Bangor doubled their lead.
McMullan allowed Boylan to cross from a deep position and Michael Halliday used his head to send the ball past an unmoved Thompson.
Mark Cooling grabbed his second goal in the 63rd minute as he ran on to a Halliday through ball to lift his effort over the stranded ‘keeper.
Bangor moved up through the gears and added a fourth when visiting defender Richard McCormick diverted a low McMullan cross into his own net.
It was five only two minutes later when Boylan fired into the top corner from 20 yards with his left foot for his second goal of the season.
Boylan and Cooling both went close to adding to the score line but it was Shorts who went even closer when Alan Jamison hit the inside of the post after Bangor had over committed in attack.
Straight from that let off, Bangor moved up the pitch and McMullan pulled the ball across goal from the right where Adam Calvert was on hand to coolly slot into the net.
The impressive Mark Cooling sealed his hat trick in emphatic style as Bangor’s top scorer crashed a 16-yard half volley in off the underside of the bar.
With three minutes remaining the visitors grabbed a consolation goal when Andrew Dummigan squeezed home after some careless Bangor defending.
Bangor: Cairnduff, Beattie, Widdowson, Wasson (58′ McMullan), Wray, Mallin (69′ Devine), Long (58′ Calvert), Cooling, Halliday, Boylan, Nelson. Subs not used: Arthur, Arthurs.
Scorers: Cooling (11′, 64′, 80′), Halliday (59′), Own Goal (67′), Boylan (70′), Calvert (78′)
Booked: Wasson, Wray
Shorts: Thompson, Barr, McDowell, McBriarty, McCormick, Martin, Curran, Ennis, Dummigan, Jamison, McCafferty. Subs: Henry, Magennis, Smith, Youle.
Scorer: Dummigan (87′)
Booked: McCafferty
