Some dubious refereeing by Rhondda official Paul Thomas initially ruined this game as a spectacle and then handed all three points to the home side on a dull, dismal Mid Wales afternoon on the Maesydre Ground. Opening exchanges suggested Welshpool were up for the contest with midfielder Mark Roberts firing over inside five minutes. Bangor replied with recalled Owain Jones shooting wide moments later. The first incident came as rightback Peter Hoy attempted a clearance but was caught by a full blooded challenge from Christian Courtney. Referee Thomas awarded the inevitable freekick but made no comment to the former Shrewsbury apprentice.

On ten minutes Courtney was again in the thick of the action as he raced clear on the right - two yards offside perhaps - to cut inside and shoot goalwards. Peter Hoy threw himself at the low drive which initially struck his face and then knee and cannoned out for a corner. The linesman on the right failed to flag, but Mr Thomas, from a distant position obscured by Hoy, expertly judged that the original shot and ensuing deflection were heading goalward and that the defender used his hand. Penalty and red card. How he reached this conclusion is not clear, but former Preston starlet Craig Wilkinson converted the kick for an eleventh minute opener.

Down to ten men Bangor settled to play some calm and contructive football, with Owain Jones impressing on his return. By the quarter hour mark City had forced their third corner and seen Eifion Jones head over from six yards and Owain Jones fire off target. The free running Kenny Burgess then latched on to a knock down from Ross Jefferies but Goodwin held the shot cleanly.

On 24 mins Courtney again exploited space on the right to run goalwards before squaring to Chris Roberts whose low shot beat the exposed Lee Wiliams from twelve yards. On the half hour a fourth corner resulted in Eifion Jones blazing over, then Les Davies saw his twenty yarder curl away from goal. On the stroke of half time Alan Goodall responded angrily to some rough treatment in the midfield with a wild challenge on Wilkinson which saw him issued with a yellow card. Goodall was pushed and jostled by several Welshpool players, directly in front of the official, but no action was taken.

The second period saw Bangor comforted by the defensive attentions of the linesman who flagged for everything and Welshpool contend with the one who seemed loathe to flag at all.

Ten minutes after the restart Owain Jones limped off - ominously holding his sock and boot - to be replaced by Gary Roberts. Two mins later, on 58 the former Denbigh winger raced clear to slot the ball past Steve Goodwin and cut the deficit in half. City had the initiative now as the ten men exploited the audible panic in the home defence. A sixth corner came, moments later Les Davies headed down but this time Gary Roberts saw his drive fly over.

Then on 70 mins Clayton Blackmore appeared to stamped on by Courtney, reacted angrily with an attempted push, and was triumphantly dismissed by Referee Thomas. Moments before half time a similar incident had been wholly ingnored. Even with nine men City continued to create chances and worry the home defence. Kenny Burgess fired over from the edge of the box, then Alan Goodall hit a firm low drive which Goodwin spilt for a eighth corner. Welshpool broke away on the right but Lee Williams did well to thwart Courtney before City again sought an equaliser as Alan Goodall's twenty yarder was well saved by Goodwin.

The final action saw Sion Meredith tap from close range as Welshpool counter attacked to good effect in the 89th minute to secure the win and three points. An exhausted Aled Rowlands made way for Huw Griffiths who joined the frontline but time quickly evaporated and the final whistle blew on a bleak afternoon for Bangor.

Bangor City: Lee Williams, Peter Hoy, Alan Goodall, Eifion Jones, Aled Rowlands, Owain Jones, Kenny Burgess, Les Davies, Paul Roberts, Ross Jefferies, Clayton Blackmore
Subs: Huw Griffiths, Peter Davenport, Gary Roberts

Welshpool: Goodwin, Davies, Windsor, Stevenson, Wilding, Barton, M.Roberts, Wilkinson, Courtney, C.Roberts, Meredith
Subs: Loughnane, Kirkham, Jones

Report by: Mike Smith