Gavin Lee Redfern-Jones reports on our recent away trip to Ceredigion.

Michael Johnston's men made the journey down to Cae Baker to play out a JD Cymru North league encounter in mid-Wales. Awaiting them were newly-promoted side Penrhyncoch, who entered the weekend in 12th place following a 1-1 draw in their previous league fixture against Llay Miners Welfare. Meanwhile Bangor, sitting in 3rd place at the start of the weekend, were looking to make it three league wins in a row following recent victories over Flint Mountain and Gresford Athletic.

The home side took the lead in the second minute when Cameron Allen, operating on the right edge of the penalty box, rolled the ball across the face of goal into the path of Daniel Owen, whose first-time side-footed finish found the back of the net for Penrhyncoch's opening goal of the afternoon.

James Barry almost equalised for Bangor 1876 on the quarter-hour mark when Dan Cox picked him out when he cut the ball back from the left byline. His first touch to steady the ball was followed by a low show towards the left post on the turn. The effort was saved by Roosters' keeper Leigh Jenkins.

Bangor ace Corrig McGonigle came close to levelling the score on the 23rd minute. His swerving free-kick from the left edge of the penalty arc threatened to find the top-right corner, but again Penrhyncoch's Jenkins reacted brilliantly to palm the ball away for a corner.

On the 37th minute, following a cleared Bangor corner, full-back Dan Cox retreated to the left-side of the halfway line to recollect possession of the ball. His floated cross was kept just inside of the opposing touchline by Barry on the stretch. The ball fell kindly to team-mate Mason Blackwell-Jones who proceeded to break into the penalty box. His shot was palmed into the air by Jenkins, but the ball was kept in play at the right byline by Craig Whelan. The ball was pulled back to McGonigle who had his back towards goal at the penalty spot and was able to turn and get a low shot away for a Bangor equaliser – his sixth league goal of the season.

HALF-TIME: PENRHYNCOCH 1 – 1 BANGOR 1876.

Penrhyncoch came close to retaking the lead soon after the restart. Penrhyncoch's Ifan Burrell attacked down the left-wing, all the while being tracked by Bangor's Dion Jones. Burrell's run inside afforded him the space to deliver a cross into the danger area, where it was cleared by centre-back Iolo Hughes. However the ball only reached the edge of the box, from where Cameron Allen regained possession for Penrhyncoch before sending a low shot was just wide of the left post.

When Bangor's Dan Cox was judged to have fouled a Penrhyncoch attacker in the penalty box in the 51st minute, up stepped Allen to take the spot kick for Penrhyncoch. Carl Jones in the Bangor goal guessed correctly but could not get a hand to the ball as Allen finished low just inside the left post to regain the lead for Penrhyncoch.

Cox nearly made amends some five minutes later when he burst into the box to get onto the end of a deep first-time cross from right-back Powell-Roberts, but his header on the run was directed just over the bar.

With just under half an hour remaining, Bangor were awarded a free-kick just short of the halfway line to the right of the centre circle. Bangor stopper Carl Jones offered to take the free-kick and sent the ball towards a cluster of players at the near-left corner of the penalty box. Bangor's Iolo Hughes won the battle to connect with Jones's cross and his looping header travelled well above the height of Penrhyncoch stopper Jenkins and dropped just under the crossbar inside the right post for Bangor's second equaliser of the afternoon.

With the minutes ticking away, Bangor had opportunities to take the lead from both Powell-Roberts and Blackwell-Jones, but the former's curling shot at the end of a driving run was just over the bar, and after the latter had broken behind Penrhyncoch's defensive line, he couldn't get his shot away before Penrhyncoch goalie Jenkins came out of the goal area and smothered the ball.

The game entered the injury time period when Penrhyncoch won themselves a throw-in high up the right-side of the box. The ball was received by Zac Davies just outside the edge of the box. Moving laterally to open up a shooting angle, his first attempt at goal was blocked inside the box by Bangors' Dion Jones, but the ball fell kindly back to Davies for him to take a second shot. Bangor stopper Carl Jones was wrong-footed and unable to react as the ball rolled inside of the right post for Penrhyncochs' match-winning third goal.

FULL TIME: PENRHYNCOCH 3 – 2 BANGOR 1876.

The win for Penrhyncoch is their third league victory of the season and lifts them up to 10th place in the standings, whereas Bangors' fourth defeat in the JD Cymru North means they ended the weekend in 5th position.