Flashback – 10 years ago: Despite Hill-Dunt heroics Bangor edge the honours

Bangor City 2 (Chris Jones 55, Dave Morley pen 77)
Prestatyn Town 1 (Steve Rogers 54)
Welsh Premier League – Dec 29, 2010

Bangor made it 17 games unbeaten since the start of the season and 26 undefeated in total in the league over a nine-month period with a close-fought victory over Prestatyn.

The piles of snow around the perimeter and the firm condition of the playing surface spoke of the hours of hard work put in by the groundsman to get this game on.

City boss Nev Powell was forced to rule out flu victim Craig Garside along with Jamie Brewerton and opted to bring Clive Williams in on the right and switch Peter Hoy to centre-back.  

But the man to beat for the first half – and much of the second – was the acrobatic Town keeper Jon Hill-Dunt, who pulled off 10 first half stops, a mixture of the routine and breathtaking, at the Farrar End.

The first came inside two minutes, a full-length dive to palm away Jamie Reed’s cross-shot from the left.
Moments later Hill-Dunt denied Alan Bull, whose low shot seemed set for the bottom corner and then Dave Morley with a similar effort. On eight minutes a Bangor corner saw the unmarked Morley head over.

Bull ran down the right, crossed for Nicky Ward to gather and shoot but again Hill-Dunt saved low.
On 20 minutes Prestatyn’s Lee Hunt forced a stop from Paul Smith with a shot from the right.

Hill-Dunt was back into the thick of things with a double save from Reed’s shot and Bull’s close range rebound attempt.

Prestatyn came back through Michael Parker, whose low cross from the right found Hunt, but his wretched miss-kick let Bangor off the hook.

City were enjoying most of the game and Bull forced a seventh save with a long range shot which Hill-Dunt held comfortably.

The visitors had found their feet by now, inspired by their sturdy custodian, and Neil Gibson tricked his way through the Bangor defence only to shoot at Smith.

Bangor won a second corner which ended in Hill-Dunt back-peddling to thwart Hoy’s lofted effort.

Next Reed raced round left-back Jack Lewis, but shot across goal before a ninth Hill-Dunt save from Reed’s 20-yard curler added to the frustration of the 700-strong home support.

Hill-Dunt made his 10th save to deny Ward and the lanky Parker galloped clear on the right to cross for Steve Rogers to head over from right in front of goal.

Half-time: 0-0

Into the second half, and on 54 minutes Prestatyn had the lead. Gibson crossed from the left and former Oswestry Town favourite Rogers bundled home from close range.

No sooner had the game restarted than Bangor were level. A driven cross from Reed on the left was deflected to Chris Jones, whose low drive finally got the better of the defiant Hill-Dunt and nestled in the bottom corner.

The hosts now sensed a win was possible. A trademark long throw from Hoy fell to the alert Reed, but Hill-Dunt saved once again.

The eye-catching Hill-Dunt next came up with a double save before keeping out Les Davies’ 20-yard hit.

On 76 minutes, Hoy’s long throw found Morley, whose progress in the box from the right was halted by a push from Paul O’Neill to provoke a yellow card and penalty.

There was a stoppage as comments were passed but the calm figure of Morley just about beat Hill-Dunt with a well-placed low strike.

City were reduced to 10 men in closing minutes when Chris Roberts was shown a second yellow for kicking the ball away.

Parker hit the crossbar with a shot on the turn before Bull’s shot was stopped by Hill-Dunt, the ball ran to Chris Jones but he shot over and that was that.

Amidst the celebrations as City went 16 points clear at the top of the Welsh Premier with a record of 16 wins and one draw.

Bangor: Paul Smith, Peter Hoy, Chris Roberts, Dave Morley, Michael Johnston, Clive Williams, Jamie Reed (Mark Smyth 89), Alan Bull, Les Davies (Sion Edwards 82), Nicky Ward (Eddie Jebb 58), Chris Jones.

Prestatyn: Jon Hill-Dunt, Kai Edwards, Jack Lewis (Chris Davies 78), Dave Hayes, Paul O’Neill, Gareth Wilson, Michael Parker, Neil Gibson, Lee Hunt, Steve Rogers (Jon Fisher-Cooke 86), Ross Stephens.

Attendance: 716.

Huge thanks to Mike Smith of the Citizens Choice website for another brilliant report