Bangor battle past Crusaders for back-to-back league wins

Irish Premiership Bangor 1 - 0 Crusaders FT Bangor were made to battle for a 1-0 victory over Crusaders at Clandeboye Park as they made it back-to-back league wins. Iestyn Hughes struck inside three minutes to give Lee Feeney's side the perfect platform as they controlled much of the first half without finding the second goal their dominance threatened. That kept Crusaders in the game, and the visitors finally stirred late on before Lloyd Anderson had what they thought was an equaliser ruled out for offside. Victory secured the hosts only their third league win of the season, while the visitors missed the chance to climb into the top six. Seasiders withstand late Crues pressure The home side made the perfect start inside three minutes as Hughes drove down the right and combined with Caomhan McGuinness before Lewis Harrison laid the resulting cross into his path for the winger to pick out the far bottom corner. With the hosts firmly on top, Harrison threatened to quickly add a second when the winger met Steven McCullough's corner minutes later but could not keep his header down. The Seasiders should have given themselves breathing room just before the half-hour as Tiarnan Mulvenna picked out Reece Neale at the back post, only for the defender to volley well off target from close range. Bangor continued to carry the greater threat after the break as McGuinness twisted and turned inside the penalty area before miskicking his shot into the path of Neale, whose first-time effort towards the far corner was comfortably read by Shea Callister. But the Seasiders' failure to find a second left them vulnerable to a late response, with Elliott Dunlop finally testing Patrick Solis Grogan with a header that forced the goalkeeper to scramble across and palm the ball to safety. That warning almost proved costly four minutes later as Anderson found the bottom corner following a scramble in the box, only for the offside flag to cut short the Crues' celebrations as the home side held on for three vital points in their battle to beat the drop.