Bangor City 2-1 Honka Espoo

• Sgorio
• 30 July 2010
• 16:34

News

Bangor City secured one of the best European results in Welsh Premier history as they came back to beat Honka Espoo in their 2nd qualifying round Europa League tie at The Racecourse, Wrexham on Thursday night.

Chris Jones, who scored City’s goal in the 1-1 draw in Finland last week, was the hero once again as he put the Citizens ahead in the dying seconds.

The visitors had bossed the majority of the game after taking a 21st minute lead through Sampo Koskinen.

But with just six minutes remaining on the clock Dave Morley brought Bangor level before Jones’ heroics sealed the victory.

Having held the Finns to a 1-1 draw in Finland last Thursday, Neville Powell had called on his side to show their ‘never say die’ attitude, and that is exactly what City did.

Honka, who are currently second in the Finnish Veikkausliiga  and who beat Bangor at the same stage of last season’s competition, started the game strongly with Jani Puustinen forcing Paul Smith to make an early save.

And Honka took the lead on 21 minutes when Koskinen’s thundering 18-yard shot flew past Smith into the top corner.

The visitors took control of the match with both Saakko Lepola and Hermanni Vuorinen going close to doubling their lead.

However Bangor showed they were still dangerous from set pieces as Les Davies forced Tuomas Peltonen into a point blank save, heading on a Sion Edwards free kick.

But, with time running out, Morley, who scored the late winner to win the Welsh Cup in May to secure City’s place in Europe, brought the two sides level heading Edwards’ corner kick past Peltonen.

And just as everybody was preparing themselves for extra time, Jones managed to pounce on a lose ball to score a second for the Welsh side and send Powell’s men through into the third qualifying round.

Bangor now face Portugese Liga side, Marítimo of Madeira, who beat Ireland’s Sporting Fingal 6-4 on aggregate.

Bangor City: Paul Smith, Peter Hoy, Chris Roberts, Dave Morley, Jamie Brewerton, Michael Johnston, Eddie Jebb (Alan Bull 61′), Les Davies, Nicky Ward, Sion Edwards, Chris Jones.

Unused subs: Andy Mulliner, Matthew Hurdman, Marc Limbert, Clive Williams, John Owen.

Yellow card: Ward 79′

Goals: Morley 84′, Jones 90′

Honka Espoo: Tuomas Peltonen, Sampo Koskinen, Roope Heilala, Hermanni Vuorinen, Markus Paatelainen (Jussi Vasara 70′), Jami Puustinen, Ville Koskimaa, Demba Savage, Nicholas Otaru, Jaakko Lepola, Rasmus Schuller.

Unused subs: Janne Henriksson, Henri Aalto, Tim Vayrynen, Tapio Heikkila, Konsta Rasimus.

Goal: Koskinen 21′

Referee: Arman Amirkhanyan (Armenia)