MATCH REVIEW: Cardiff Met 2-3 Bangor: Met’s search for first win in phase two goes on as they lose at home to Bangor

Met’s poor form in phase two of the Welsh Premier League continued as they lost 3-2 at home to Bangor at Cyncoed Campus.

Met took the lead against the run of play through captain Kyle McCarthy, but goals from Dean Rittenberg, Laurence Wilson, and the excellent Henry Jones gave Bangor all three points – Rhys Thomas did give Met hope late on, but Bangor held on to secure victory in the Welsh Capital.

Both teams remain fourth and sixth respectively, but the two teams are now separated by a momentous 17 points. Next up for Met is Camarthen Town on good Friday – Bangor face champions The New Saints on the same day.

Match Report

In the early stages of the game it was Henry Jones who was making a nuisance of himself, escaping a few challenges before being brought down, which resulted in a Bangor free-kick.

The experienced Gary Taylor-Fletcher had the first chance of the game, as he found space on the edge of the Met box, and drove towards goal, but saw his effort fall wide of Will Fuller’s goal.

Henry Jones then had his first chance of the game as Emlyn Lewis cheaply gave the ball away in his own half, but luckily for Met, Jones’ attempt was straight at Will Fuller.

But with Met’s first chance of the game, they were ahead, as captain Kyle McCarthy was played through, and with only Connor Roberts to beat, he coolly slotted the ball over the goalkeeper into the right-hand corner of the net.

Bangor would have been disappointed, having dominated possession in the early stages of the game. Bangor were soon level though, after applying pressure to Met’s defence.

A ball was floated into the box – and despite Gary Taylor-Fletcher’s header being stopped at point blank range by Will Fuller, Dean Rittenberg was there at the right place and time to convert, and level the scores at 1-1.

Met were then forced into an early change as Chris Baker was replaced by Will Evans. Met then had a fantastic opportunity to retake the lead through Matt Taylor’s cross, but nobody could make connection with the ball to convert into Connor Roberts’ goal.

Approaching half-time, Met had another chance to retake the lead, as Adam Roscrow held the ball up excellently, before turning but his effort was straight at Connor Roberts.

Charlie Corsby was next to try his luck, but his effort was deflected for a corner. Met looked a real threat going forward, and there was a potentness about their play.

Going in at half-time the scores were level, and it was a fair reflection of how the game had panned out, with both teams having chances at either ends of the pitch.

Met started the second-half as they finished the first, and Ruscrow had a guilt-edge chance to put Met in front, but his effort faded just wide of Connor Roberts’ goal. If he showed more composure, Met would have surely taken the lead.

Ruscrow was making a menace of himself, and he was next to test Connor Roberts, but his effort lacked any real conviction, and it was saved comfortably.

Met would be made to pay for the chances they missed as Laurence Wilson scored directly from a free-kick, completely against the run of play.

Met wouldn’t give in, though, and had a goal disallowed for offside as Roscrow had his goal ruled out following a Emlyn Lewis shot, and Met almost fell further behind as Met goalkeeper Will Fuller was caught out by the wind, but luckily for him and Met, he managed to get a hand to the ball to divert it away for a corner.

Rittenburg then briefly got away as he drove at the Met defence, but he had his shot blocked by a Met body. Bangor didn’t have to wait long for their third though, as Henry Jones broke away before coolly slotting the ball past Will Fuller.

And, Met could have found themselves further behind hadn’t it been for Will Fuller, as he saved expertly from a Sion Edwards shot, before a floated in ball was put agonisingly wide from goal-scorer Laurence Wilson.

Substitute Rhys Thomas gave Met hope though, as he scored his first goal in the Welsh Premier League. Bangor weren’t satisfied with just winning by the two goals, though, and Sion Edwards’ cross-shot almost caught out Will Fuller, but he acrobatically saved to ensure the score-line remained 3-2.

Met looked for an equaliser, but it just wouldn’t come as their search for a first win phase two of the Welsh Premier League continues.

Man Of The Match – Henry Jones

Another classy performance from the midfielder – looked a constant threat when going forward, and is Bangor’s most prized asset.

Final Word

Despite another strong performance from Met, it ended in defeat and they’re still in search of a first win in phase two of the Welsh Premier League.

A mixture of defensive lapses and lack of quality in the final third of the pitch ultimately cost Met this game, and they’ll need to collectively come together as a group to get ready for their final two games of the Welsh Premier League – against The New Saints and Gap Connah’s Quay.

Bangor on the other hand recorded just their second win in six Welsh Premier League games, and it will surely give them a huge boost going into the game against The New Saints on good Friday.