Bangor rounded off their league season with a victory, giving the Seasiders a remarkable tally of 82 points from a potential 84.
The undefeated Seasiders had to work hard though to see off basement side Desertmartin in a strange end-of-season fixture which saw Bangor field two different outfield players in goal.
With Bangor arriving late at Dromore Park because of roadworks, kick off was delayed but the Seasiders were quick out of the blocks to take a first minute lead.
Straight from kick off, Michael Edgar’s raking diagonal pass was expertly controlled by Michael Halliday and the striker’s second touch was to lift the ball past the sprawling Valter Monteiro.
But the scores were level in the third minute when Thomas Wray tripped Pearce McLarnon in the penalty area. With Darren Gibbons ruled out for the season, stand in goalkeeper Steven Hislop dived the right way but could not keep out Matthew Scott’s powerful effort from the spot.
In an extraordinary opening five minutes Bangor were back in front when Halliday headed Ben Roy’s right wing cross into the bottom corner.
The goals did not stop there with the home side once more pegging Bangor back as Chad Biggar bundled home a McLarnon corner in the 10th minute.
Bangor’s top goal scorer, Ben Arthurs, passed up a great chance to give his side the lead two minutes later when he prodded wide from close range while Jack Mallin saw his low drive palmed away by Monteiro.
The Desertmartin keeper was at full stretch to claw away Halliday’s header after a route-one clearance from Hislop, but Halliday did Monteiro a favour when he lifted his effort over the bar from just 3 yards with the ‘keeper watching on.
Halliday sealed his hat tick – his fourth of the season – in the 35th minute. Ben Arthurs was tripped in the penalty area and Halliday made no mistake from 12 yards for his 27th goal of the season.
At half time Ben Arthurs traded places with Steven Hislop in the Bangor goals and the man who usually puts the ball in the back of the net had to pick it out of the net in the 64th minute when Pearce McLarnon’s angled drive beat him at his near post.
With 15 minutes remaining Bangor got their noses back in front. Ben Roy was tripped in the penalty area and this time it was Mark Cooling who found the bottom corner for his 24th goal of the season.
Just three minutes later Bangor had their third penalty of the day when substitute Scott McArthur was clumsily fouled in the box. Paul Dickson, looking for his first goal of the season, was given the chance from the spot but Monteiro dived to his right to hang onto the low effort.
In the end that miss did not prove costly as the Seasiders saw the game out to make sure they could go undefeated in the Ballymena and Provincial Intermediate League.
Bangor: Hislop, Edgar (’58 Arthur), Beattie (’51 Widdowson), Dickson, Wray, Mallin, Roy, Cooling, Arthurs, Halliday, McMullan (’51 McArthur). Subs not used: Lucas, Wasson
Scorers: Halliday (1′, 5′, 35′ pen), Cooling (75′ pen)
Booked: Roy, Hislop
Desertmartin: Monteiro, A Scott, C Stewart, M Stewart, Biggar, Clark D Scott, Lubwama, Brown, McLarnon, M Scott (85′ Crooks). Subs not used: Hawthorne, Patton.
Scorers: M Scott (3′), Biggar (10′), McLarnon (64′)
Booked: Biggar, D Scott
