Kirk McLaughlin hits second half hat trick as Institute dominate Bangor

Institute 4

Bangor 0

There seems to be no stopping Kevin Deery’s Institute at present as they climbed to third place in the Playr-Fit Championship with their fifth win in six league games.

Kirk McLaughlin scored a second half hat trick to add to Shaun Leppard's opener as 'Stute dominated on their way to another victory. 

‘Stute got the early goal they wanted on Saturday, the breakthrough coming after just 16 minutes. Tiarnan McKinney’s free kick right into the heart of the penalty area saw both Shaun Leppard and Bobby Deane go for it, before it hit the latter and fell at the feet of the former, who fired it into the net from just three yards out. It was Leppard’s second goal of the season.

Bangor’s response was a good one however and they had two chances to equalise in quick succession, both from corner kicks. Firstly, Sean Brown dragged a shot wide after a poor defensive header, before towering centre-half Ali Omar placed a header just over the upright from Adam Neale’s delivery to the near post. It was a very close call for ‘Stute with the travelling Bangor fans thinking it was in. 

Half Time 1-0

The start of the second half should have brought a Bangor goal. Ben Walker’s low ball looked to be intercepted by Bobby Deane, but it went straight through the defender’s legs and to the feet of Adam Neale, who was suddenly through on goal. The Bangor man took a touch to set himself, but that allowed Muldoon to race out of his goal and ultimately block the shot with a brilliant save to keep his team ahead.

That proved a huge moment in the game as ‘Stute then doubled their lead in spectacular fashion. Half-time substitute Kirk McLaughlin showed great close control to create a shooing opportunity just over 20 yards from goal, and his finish was even better, as he curled the ball beyond the reach of Taylor and into the top corner to make it 2-0. It was McLaughlin’s fifth in 11 games in all competitions, and undoubtedly his best of the lot so far.

Bangor were then put out of the game completely as ‘Stute struck again, with a second goal in six minutes.

‘Stute were flying at this stage, and they looked like scoring with every attack, Harris cutting in from the left with a great burst of pace, and seeing a shot deflected beyond Taylor, only for the post to deny him a goal.

It only remained to be seen of ‘Stute could add to the scoreline and if McLaughlin could complete his hat trick, and he did just that in the last minute of normal time, taking the ball nonchalantly around Taylor and stroking the ball into the net for 4-0.

It was the perfect end to a near perfect day for Deery and his players.

Teams

INSTITUTE: Gareth Muldoon, Ryan Morrow (Dylan King 71’), Shaun Leppard, Orrin McLaughlin (Evan Tweed 76’), Liam Mullan (Kirk McLaughlin 45’), Mark Mbuli (Sean Carlin 45’), Tiarnan McKinney, Michael Harris, Oisin Devlin, Shane Boyle, Bobby Deane (Fionn McClure 78’).

BANGOR: James Taylor, Jack Henderson (Scott McArthur 45’), Lewis Harrison (Dylan O’Kane 68’), Ben Arthurs (Tom Mathieson 68’), Adam Neale (Michael Halliday 76’), Karl Devine (David Hume 60’), Reece Neale, Ben Walker, Sean Brown, Seanan Foster, Ali Omar.

REFEREE: Mark Milligan