Gavin Lee Redfern-Jones reports on our latest league match

Bangor 1876 made the trek to The Hollingsworth Group Stadium for a Friday evening fixture in the JD Cymru North league. Their challenge for the night was that of facing league-leaders Airbus UK Broughton FC, who were hot off the back of an 8-3 home victory over current champions Holywell Town. Meanwhile, Bangor 1876 headed into the game sitting in 7th place and were hoping to build on previous weekends' goalless draw away to Caersws.

Airbus got off to a hot start in the 3rd minute when, despite protests from the Bangor defensive line, winger James Davies was able to beat the offside trap on the left channel and rolled the ball across into the path of team-mate Jordan Evans. With just the goalkeeper to beat, Evans' low right-footed finish found the back to give the Wingmakers an early lead.

On the quarter-hour mark, Airbus's Kaiden Cooke made progress with the ball on the right flank before pulling the ball back for right-back Tyler McManus just short of the penalty box. McManus' deep cross into the box was overhit but James Davies' determination kept the ball from rolling out of play on the opposite end of the pitch. Cutting inside to find a more open angle, Davies' curling cross found the head of George Peers, but he could not keep his effort underneath the crossbar as the ball went out for a goal kick.

Minutes later, a floating 35-yard free-kick from Joe Culshaw landed on the head of Bangor's full-back Dan Cox as he attacked the area around the penalty spot, but his glancing header was just wide of the right post.

As the game approached the final 10 minutes of the first half, Bangor’s Tom Mahoney found himself held up outside of the right edge of the penalty box by Airbus's Kieran Evans, but was able to pick out Joe Sullivan’s overlapping run. Sullivan delivered a first-time flat cross from the right byline and Bangor ace Corrig McGonigle had to get on his knees in order to meet the ball with his head, but his attempt was directed over the crossbar.

With two minutes remaining in the half, Airbus were awarded a penalty after Cooke was judged to have been brought down unfairly inside the penalty area after cutting inside at the end of another pacey run up the right wing. Following Bangor protests against the decision, captain Tomos Clarke was shown a red card. The league’s top-scorer Danny Warren stepped up to take the penalty kick and made no mistake by finishing hard and low to the bottom-left corner, doubling Airbus's lead.

The referee blew his whistle for half-time and from what looked like a spirited performance in the opening 45 minutes, Bangor 1876 now had themselves a mountain to climb in the second half.

HALF-TIME: AIRBUS UK BROUGHTON 2 - 0 BANGOR 1876

Ten minutes after the restart, Airbus were awarded a second penalty after what was again deemed an unfair challenge inside the box. This time, Oliver Lanceley stepped up for the spot-kick duty and, similarly to Warren's penalty in the first half, was struck low and hard to the bottom-left corner beyond the reach of Bangors' Brad Farrar to give Airbus their third goal of the evening.

A long ball over the top from Airbus's Nathan Williams found Peers in behind Bangors' high defensive line and through on goal, but Bangor keeper Farrar was able to block the ball with his body and clear the danger.

With 25 minutes remaining, James Barry almost caught out Wingmakers keeper Keighan Jones with a speculative effort from just inside his own half. Despite his best efforts to retreat back to his goal-line, the shot did not dip in time and so the ball cannoned off the crossbar which saved Jones’ blushes.

Airbus got their fourth goal of the evening when Kieran Evans found himself with enough space to line up and fire a 30-yard rocket that flew into the top-left corner.

With less than ten minutes remaining, Bangor managed to pull a goal back. A counter-attacking move starting from within their own half saw Liam Morris on the left-flank pick out James Barry operating near the centre-circle. Barry switched the play to the opposite side when he spotted the run of Harry Galeotti high up the right-wing. Without breaking stride, Galeotti delivered a cross towards the far-post, where Airbus stopper Jones was unable to come out and deal with the danger, and found the head of Dale Davies for a close-range finish.

Airbus almost scored a fifth goal in injury time when Jake Eyre cut inside from the right wing and fired a low shot towards the near post as he neared the penalty arc, but his effort struck the post.

The referee blew the whistle for full time and despite Bangors' best efforts against a top Airbus side, they were made to leave Broughton empty-handed.

FULL TIME: AIRBUS UK BROUGHTON 4 - 1 BANGOR 1876

The result means Bangor 1876 dropped into 8th place in the league standings, whereas Airbus kept their 4-point gap to Colwyn Bay at the top of the pile. We’re back in action on Friday 8 November when we welcome Ruthin to the Bangor City Stadium for a league match that begins at 7.45pm.