Mahood and Scott battle in midfield


CHAMPIONS HELD
AT CLANDEBOYE PARK

Clandeboye Park, home of Bangor Football Club, welcomed ladies football back to the borough with the visit of Northern Ireland champions Newtownabbey Strikers, on Monday (3rd), to take on the Borough premier side North Down ladies, who held them at 1-1
in a entralling first half.

On what turned out to be a very bitterly cold evening, the two clubs put on a fiery performance in an entertaining fixture, which was not only billed as promoting for the local ladies game but to raise money for Cancer Research.

Newtownabbey Strikers are arguably the top side in Northern Ireland and celebrated their 10th anniversary in the sports governing body the NIWFA, in the 2002 season with their first ever Championship crown.

The north Belfast side went on to establish their supremacy of the title with a repeat in 2003 and more recently with League and Cup double in 2005.
This will guarantee them a place in European Championship to be held later in the summer.

North Down Ladies, in contrast are just about to embark on their first ever season in just over a few weeks, time when their will compete along with some 40 other ladies clubs in the 2006 divisional championships, which kick off in late April.

Newtownabbey took the lead in the first half

This game though, was all about putting in a respectable performance against a very talented and technically gifted young side for the Bangor based side.

Although Strikers manager Stephen Calvert hadn’t brought all his big guns down for this one - he did include some notable young talent in the shape of Nicole Vance, Nadine McCrory and former North Down Star player Stephanie Dickinson.

The North Down game plan was to field, from those declared fit and available a reasonably strong side - and try and keep in touch with the visiting Strikers for the first half - taking more from the level of performance rather than that of the scoreline - which on paper could have been an mbarrassment if the home side, got off to a bad start, and capitulated early on.

Line Up: Leanne McGarry; Paula Dougherty, Christina NcNamara, Patrica Webb, Angie young; Carolyn Scott, Ashley Hutton, Cathy Duncan, Lisa Mahood; Deidre Savage, Tanya Black.
Subs: Joanne Williamson, Sara Brunton, Julie Graham, Christine Morrison and Debbie Vaughan.

Paula Dougherty in close attendance

Playing a 4-4-2 system, and with a late withdrawal, the only chink in the line up was a difficult and unfamiliar role for Christine McNamara starting in the
back four, but she was quick to adapt and started brightly, and had a steady game.

Early exchanges were fairly even, although an early exit for striker Tanya Black who took a nasty heavy blow, and was rested with the introduction of the young Sara Brunton up front.

This was swiftly followed with Young pulling up with an hamstring - and the second forced substitution with Morrison be introduced at the centra of the defence.

As the game went on, the home side, who were enjoying good backing from the partisan support, visibly gained in confidence and started to get into their stride and matched the Strikers all mover the park.

Northern Ireland international Ashley Hutton,
currently at Arsenal ladies and guesting for Seasiders along with Cathy Duncan gave the home side a sharpness and bite in the middle of the park, and both put in telling contribution, with the back line of Dougherty, McNamara, Morrison and Webb able to maintain and stifle the Strikers impressive front line up of McCrory and Vance.

With the temperature continuing to plummet the visitors broke through on the right side and goalkeeper McGarry was cleverly deceived on her front post 1-0.

Ashley Hutton, guesting for her local side North Down Ladies

The response from the home side was immediate and again the welcome support gathered at the Clandeboye Road arena lifted North Down Ladies with first Savage hitting a half chance and then Mahood almost sneaking through the offside trap.

With ten minutes before half time, the hoe side got their reward for some stubborn and with the award of a penalty.

Lisa Mahood, who has a pedigree as goalscorer calmly took to spot kick and hit a right foot high drive to the top left hand corner, giving the visiting goalkeeper no chance to take the equaliser into the interval - which was a fantastic result for the club.

The second half signalled the introduction of a few of the more inexperienced players towards to the end of the fixture, did disrupt the offensive momentum for North Down, but the defence knuckled down and were able keep the game and scoreline down.

Coming on for Cameo appearances were Debbie Vaughan back from a lengthy absence from the game; Julie Graham fitting in the defence and youngster Joanna Williamson slotting in at left back.

Deidre Savage under some close attention up front

A shuffle of the back line saw McNamara switched to
mid a more customary midfield role with big performances from Patricia Webb playing in the unfamiliar role along with Christine Morrison, who seems to have blossomed during the close season and came back with a renewed confidence and sharpness to hold up in the heart of the defence.

Duncan and Hutton were the pick in midfield and they were a lot of positive things happening all over the park, Scott on the right and Susan Cull trying to find the front pairing of Mahood and Savage, who although more sedate in the second half, always remained a threat.

The game finished with the visiting Strikers benefiting from a late couple of strikes, as the locals understandably tired on a very big pitch,against a formidable first division outfit.

Christine Morrison goal side had a good game at the heart of the defence

The club would like to record a massive thanks to all those who turned up at the game, gave of their welcome support and made a donation for Cancer Research; obviously Newtownabbey Strikers for taking part in the game and for the manner in which it was played; referee Andy who waived her fee in favour of the charity; and of the Chairman Trevor Best and Board at Bangor Football Club, who by allowing the game to be staged at Clandeboye Park, have showed a genuine enthusiastic approach to developing links with the premier ladies football club in the Borough - and North Down Ladies hope this will be the start of an on going partnership in the months to come.

Training continues this Sunday, at The Valentine Playing field, meet 1.45 until 3.45 p.m. - all new players are always welcome and further details can are available by telephone Club secretary Paula Doughtery on 07789 965547.This Sunday will also see North Down Ladies announced their 2006 league programme and finalising their preparation’s with games lined up the Abbey Villa Ladies (13th) and Rathfern Rangers
(20th).

Lisa Mahood gets off the mark with her first strike for the club in 2006

Last Edited Guest on 5-Apr-2006 5:46 AM