NEXT GAME: Thursday, July 7th, AWAY v. Ballymoney Ladies

Bangor face champions elect

Valley Rangers 6, Bangor Ladies 0

Bangor Ladies, the ladies section of Bangor Football Club, made the long jaunt from the North Down coast down into the lush depths of the Ulster countryside, to face the Division Two champions elect and current league leaders Valley Rangers at Binnian Park, in Kilkeel on Wednesday (22nd) June.


Having some difficulty locating the venue, the Sammy Mellon and Sons sponsored team ended up some 20 minutes late arriving at a splendidly maintained football ground buried deep in the sleepy hollows immediately adjacent to the picturesque Silent Valley reservoir and surrounded by the magnificent sweeping Mourne Mountains.


Thankfully, the hosts were very understanding and the game went ahead, albeit slightly later than scheduled, under threatening skies and with a strong breeze sweeping down from the infamous landmark.


With holidays, injuries and now customary withdrawals, the Seasiders started with: Tina Sharpe; Alanah Burns, ‘Stevi’ Clifford, Leanne McGarry, Lisa G; Sophie Ferris, Jeni Boyd, Dawn Clarke, Christine D, Molly Moore, Jessica Beers. Sub: Lynsey Turville.


Despite the home outfits very impressive record this season, the Seasiders went into the game with some vigour and assisted by the elements started the brighter of the two sides, albeit aided by the strong wind at their backs. With the absence of sun seeker and top striker Natasha Lee, Bangor manager Andy Craig favoured the spearhead of Moore and Beers up top.


However, despite the bright opener spell, it was the ‘Valley’, who snatched the opener, and similar to the previous encounter at Bloomfield Road, it had an element of class about it, a ball swung in from the left was caught flush on the volley from around 9 yards out and smashed into the roof of the net, past a helpless Sharpe.


The visitors responded quickly though and continued to ask questions of the home defence, subjecting them to a spell of pressure forcing a succession of corners and half chances, which made it quite an open and entertaining game in the first half hour.


Bangor though, did not really build on the early momentum to really kick on though were working the Rangers keeper on occasions, the young Seasiders just couldn’t find the killer ball to get in behind the home teams defence.


The visitors had set up with Boyd playing just in front of the back four, giving the Seasiders a numerical advantage in midfield and with the wind at their backs, both Moore and Beers, playing right on the shoulder of the last defender looked to get the home back four turned.


On both flanks there was limited joy, teenager Ferris on the right linking up with Burns while out on the left hand side Duncan tried to break through a defence which has only yielded four goals in their league campaign to date, two of those scored by Bangor Ladies at Bloomfield Road.


Despite an enjoyable 45 minutes for the young North Down side, at was ominous that it was the unbeaten, and on paper the almost untouchable Valley Rangers who turned round in front and in this half, the elements now switched their allegiance.


With the strong wind now favouring Rangers, the second half saw the unbeaten league leaders take control of the fixture, as the Seasiders were forced back and with Valley Rangers swarming forward, it was only a matter of time before the home team increased their advantage.


And increase it they did, albeit aided by some uncharacteristic and forgetting defensive slip ups, it would be unfair not to give credit to Rangers for a dominant and commanding 45 minutes which saw them run out comfortable and deserved victors on the night and remain unbeaten in 2011.


Although disappointed with the result, they were some decent performances, with the North Down youngsters in particularly showing a lot of grit and determination to keep going right to the end of this one.


Moore partnering Beers up front did have their moments and on another night might have profited from their endeavours. Beers continues to develop in her first season at Senior level, and at just 16 years of age promising to be a player to keep an eye on over the next few years.


With an average of just 20 years of age, the Seasiders once again started with one or two players making their full debuts in senior football, and this has been the story of the season so far.
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While lacking a lot of experience there is quality in the young side. Lee, Moore and McAteer in particularly worth a mention, who along with teenagers Bates (16), Burns (16) and Ferris (15) have the confidence and ability to succeed at this level and undoubtedly have the potential to go on to be top class footballers in the not too distant future.



The Seasiders are currently enduring a thoroughly dismal run of results, having lost their last four league games, although manager Craig remains upbeat.


“Bangor Ladies are a team which is evolving and while certainly disappointed with recent results, I have to draw confidence with the performance levels and the enthusiasm of a team who refuse to allow themselves to get too down on themselves.


“Winning and losing are all part of the sport and as long as I am content that the players are doing their best out there. then I can have no complaints. We will improve and our day will come when all the effort and hard work being putting in this season, will hopefully pay off in the future.


“The work ethic is improving, the ‘rookies’ are learning with every passing week at training their individual responsibilities and what is expected from them. I have 24 players registered, fourteen of which are effectively ‘rookies’, so from that view point, I am happy with where we are at the moment, though within the next 12 months I expect to be pushing teams like Valley Rangers all the way.


Bangor are back on the road again next week (7th) with a trip to Ballymoney, who have hit a rich vein of form since the Seasiders last met them at Bloomfield Road.

Last Edited on 29-Jun-2011 12:53 PM