Flashback – 20 years ago: Bangor City finish disappointing season in winning style

Bangor City 3 (Lloyd Williams 12 & 40, Lima OG 55)
Inter Cardiff 0
League of Wales – May 5, 2001

Twenty years ago today Bangor City rounded off a disappointing season on a high note with a 3-0 win over an Inter Cardiff side which finished bottom and folded.

The Citizens ended the campaign in a mediocre 14th position having lost exactly half of their 34 matches.

On a plus note, Marc Lloyd Williams’ double ensured he reached 100 League of Wales goals.

Future Swansea City manager Steve Cooper fashioned the first opening with a run and cross headed wide by midfielder Richard Owen before inevitably the prolific Lloyd Williams made a well-timed burst into the box and finished past Merseyside-based keeper Danny Embleton on 12 minutes.

Further chances fell to Lloyd Williams before Adam Pitcairn forced a good save from Paul Evans on 20 minutes.

City responded through the mercurial Rhodri Giggs, whose 25 yard effort drifted wide, then the little winger had a shot blocked and Lloyd Williams fired wide.

Five minutes before half time Lloyd Williams notched his 100th LoW goal after he calmly slotted home following good approach play involving Cooper, Giggs and Aled Rowlands.

There was still time for Lloyd Williams and Giggs to narrowly miss and finally for Owen to volley over as City opened up the Cardiff defence with ease.

Half-time: Bangor City 2 Inter Cardiff 0

A distinctly one-paced second period had one bright spark when on 55 minutes a strange own goal signalled the final act of the season.

In a goalmouth scramble a UWIC defender thrashed the ball against his team-mate Craig Lima who watched in disbelief as it cannoned into the goal!

Two minutes later Lloyd Williams thought he had his hat-trick when he calmly beat Embleton from 10 yards but referee Brian Bevan had whistled for a foul by him on Paul Joslin.

In the relative tedium that followed City used all three substitutes, starting on the hour with Graham Brett for Clayton Blackmore.

Five minutes later a superb 40-yard pass from Rowlands found Lloyd Williams but he shot over. Then Rowlands himself made way for Matthew Bishop as did Mark Thomas for Paul Roberts.

Chances came and went to Giggs and Lloyd Williams but to no avail. Season over and time to reflect and recruit….

Bangor City: Paul Evans, Steve Cooper, Clayton Blackmore, Paul Sellers, Sean Hazelden, Richard Owen, Marc Lloyd Williams, Mark Thomas, Craig Roberts, Rhodri Giggs, Aled Rowlands. Subs (all used): Graham Brett, Matthew Bishop, Paul Roberts.

Huge thanks to Mike Smith of the Citizens Choice website for his amazing recollections from this season. Results were not always good, but Mike’s reports were consistently brilliant…win or lose there was a report on the blues