Bangor paid a visit to fellow newly-promoted side Caersws on a cool, sunny Saturday afternoon. The Recreation Ground was the setting for a clash between two teams looking to establish their footing in the league standings.

Bangor threatened to take an early lead. In the eighth minute, a Dan Cox throw-in found Sam Jones inside the box. From a tight angle on the right side, Sam delivered a driving effort at Caersws goalkeeper Jack Perry who did well to tip the ball over the bar.

Minutes later, Sam Jones again found himself with another opportunity. Following good build-up play on the right side of the box, Corey Jones picked out a team-mate with an inviting, floating cross. Sam Jones leapt well to meet the ball in the air but his header went inches over the bar.

Despite Bangor’s early pressure, it was Caersws who opened the scoring in the 13th minute. After exhibiting good hold-up play, Caersws veteran Neil Mitchell looked for options and was able to pick out team mate Rhys Hesden with a diagonal pass. With just the goalkepeer to beat, Hesden attempted to find the bottom-left corner with a first time shot. Bangor stopper Huw Shaw showed great composure to stop the effort with his feet, but the ball fell kindly to Caersws forward Craig Harris at the far-post to tap in the rebound.

Caersws soon doubled their advantage. A neat free-kick routine saw Caersws' Sam Phillips deliver a cross into an area just inside the box where Craig Harris was able to connect with the delivery on the run. His neatly-placed header was directed just beyond the clutches of goalkeeper Huw Shaw.

In the 33rd minute, a Corrig McGonigle free-kick from 30 yards out found Corey Jones who could only head the ball just wide of the left post. Bangor almost pulled a goal back before the half-time break. Deep into injury time, Dan Cox played a high through ball from the halfway line into the inside right channel. The ball fell to Corrig McGonigle inside the penalty box after a Caersws defender failed to clear. Twisting and turning, McGonigle managed to get the ball out from underneath his feet and aimed his effort towards the bottom-right corner of the goal, but Caersws stopper Perry was equal to the effort.

HALF-TIME: CAERSWS 2-0 BANGOR 1876

Bangor continued to search for a way back into the game early in the second half. Four minutes after the restart, a Sam Jones corner was met in the air by Bangor centre back Iolo Hughes. His towering header was a whisker away from pulling a goal back for Bangor.

A few minutes later, after battling well for the ball in the middle of the park, Corey Jones played a through ball over the top of Caersws' defensive line which found Liam Morris in space on the inside left channel. From 20 yards out and with time to pick his spot, Morris unleashed a bullet of a shot with his left foot that cannoned off the inside right post and into the net to reduce the deficit.

Bangor were soon level only ten minutes into the second half. Sam Jones showed excellent close control in the box to a draw two uncertain tackles from a Caersws defender, the second of which the referee judged to be a foul and led to Bangor being awarded a penalty. Corrig McGonigle duly stepped up and converted the spot kick.

Bangor almost took the lead just before the hour mark. Switching the focus of play from one side to the other, Craig Whelan played a diagonal pass behind the Caersws left back and into the path of Sam Jones. Jones played a low ball across the face of goal which found McGonigle attacking at the far-post but he was unable to apply the finishing touch and the ball was cleared for a corner.

After being brought off the bench in the 70th minute, substitute Gethin Thomas almost made an immediate impact. A long free-kick from Joe Culshaw was cleared by Caersws but only as far as the penalty arc where Thomas was positioned. His venomous first-time volley was goal-bound only for it to be cleared off the line by a Caersws defender.

Thomas's introduction was a nuisance to the Caersws back line and it paid off in the 81st minute. Working in tandem with Liam Morris, the two Bangor forwards pressed to regain possession of the ball high up the left side of the pitch. They followed up the hard work with good interplay and Liam Morris finished well into the bottom-right corner from an acute angle to put Bangor into the lead for the first time in the match.

Caersws upped their efforts in the dying moments of the game with the hope of finding a late equaliser. Crosses from deep posed a threat but Huw Shaw commanded his area well with a combination of punching clearances and collections to ensure that the lead remained intact.

The full-time whistle blew and a fantastic second half turnaround meant that Bangor headed back to Nantporth with all three points.

FULL-TIME: CAERSWS 2-3 BANGOR 1876

Our next match is on Friday 29th September when we welcome Gresford Athletic to Nantporth for a league match which kicks off at 7.30pm. The following Friday, 6 October (7.30pm), we have another home league match under the lights when Holywell Town will be the visitors.

Thanks to Gavin Lee Redfern-Jones for writing this match report