Bangor Ladies turned round a 3-0 defeat against Wellington
(May) to an impressive 4-2 win on Monday night in Larne

FOUR IN A ROW
FOR SEASIDERS
Wellington 2, Bangor Ladies 4

Bangor Ladies, the official ladies section of Irish League side Bangor F.C. made it four wins in the row on Monday evening (21st) with a 4-2 away win at Brookvale Park, in Larne, defeating local side Wellington Recreational, as the club climb to their highest league position this season, just five points behind league leaders Carrick Rangers, who the Seasiders will face in their next Intermediate League game tonight (Thursday) at the Valentines.

It has been an impressive turn round in fortunes for the North Down club, who are now unbeaten since May in the League and have put together a run which has bagged sixteen points out of eighteen, netted 21 goals and avenged early season defeats over first Knockbreda and now Wellington Recreational - elevating the side into the top four sides scraping for the 2006 championship.

Incidentally, the Clandeboye Road side face all three of these teams in their remaining three matches - starting tonight with the visit of league leaders Carrick Rangers to for a 7 p.m. scheduled kick off.

However, first up this week was a tough away fixture against Wellington Recreational, in Larne on Monday (21st) evening, the side travelling with the intention of avenging a 3-0 mugging in Bangor earlier in the season.

Squad: Peggy Bradley; Paula Dougherty, Trish Webb, Alanna Kerr, Jackie Price; Christina McNamara, Susan Cull, Cathy Duncan (C), Petra Armstrong; Deirdre Savage, Lisa Mahood. Subs: Kim Dockery, Julie Graham and Joanna Williamson.

With the evenings drawing in so quickly, the game got underway slightly earlier than planned, Bangor kicking off attacking the shore end of the impressive Brookvale Park pitch. Once again the visitors got off to a good start, the first chance falling when striker Deirdre Savage burst through the off-side trap and had a guilt edge opportunity to get the Seasiders off to a flyer - but the pitch came to the home side’s rescue as the ball took a wicked bounce at the vital moment, top goalscorer for Bangor scuffed the effort straight at the goalkeeper who gratefully gathered it in.

However the momentum was still with the visitors - playing with more confidence than they had started the Intermediate campaign way back in April - the midfield of McNamara, Duncan, Cull and Armstrong have looked strong and had been the backbone of the side recent good run.

That early chance missed, it was still Bangor pressing and Trish Webb broke one tackle at the middle of the defence, found a superb touch to a quick thinking Cathy Duncan, who got the ball out of her feet with her first touch and then unleashed a powerful drive which flew into the top left hand corner to open the scoring.

Then just a few minutes later, from some good attacking wing play McNamara put in a good ball which was knocked clear - only for Duncan again, who caught it in her stride and hammered a low drive which brought a good save from the Larne keeper.

The game was being played at a furious tempo, the tackles flying in, Wellington were relying on hitting the ball out from the back early and hoping to catch the defence of Dougherty, Webb, Kerr and Price high up the park, but with both Trish Webb and Alanna Kerr reading the game well it was still all Bangor for the opening fifteen minutes.

The home side however kept this pressure up and were very lively, pressing and hurrying Bangor, this tactic produced a spell where the visitors lost their composure, started to rush and try to force the play, only to be punished for giving the ball away too easily and Wellington capitalised on some basic mistakes and found themselves in the lead within a ten minute spell. They almost increased this advantage, breaking through, despite a strong appeal for offside, but Bradley made the important stop to keep the contest close.

At this stage of the game - it was vital that the visitors kept the composure which has seen them rattle in 16 goals in their last three league fixtures - and Cull and Duncan in particular starting to string some passing together - their contribution at this stage was the catalyst for the sides response to going one down.

Good running by Armstrong on the left set up a good chance and despite the first effort being saved, Christina McNamara following in, was quickest to re-act and made it 2-2 just before the interval.

Half time - and the team talk was to try and slow the game down, play some possession football, adding some of the fluency, get back to playing their own game - and to their credit the team went out and did exactly that.

From the start of the second half, it was a more controlled and settled game for the visitors - the short passing game which was missing from the first half, was introduced and the Seasiders was soon back in the ascendency. Julie Graham and Kim Dockery came on for Price and Kerr in a straight swop.

On the right hand side the attack was lethal with Dougherty at the back linking up with Duncan and with McNamara pushing forward on the flank the game started to take shape - the chances were falling - Mahood first with a low drive which the goalkeeper spilled - ricocheted around the penalty area with shots from Cull, Armstrong and Savage.

With Wellington encamped in their own half, defending with everyone behind the ball, Cull made the most important strike of the night after good work by McNamara and Duncan - the ball coming out of the defence, with her back to the goal Cull whipped a shot right across the goalkeeper from 18 yards out into the bottom left hand corner 3-2.

The game still in the balance, although Bangor very much in control, it was vital that they added to their tally - and killed off any chance of a revival.
Lisa Mahood went closest with the free kick from 22 yards, which end up on the roof of the net, the goalkeeper beaten.

The one or two counter attack which came as Wellington came out of defence to look for the equaliser were quickly stifled on the right with Graham making some key tackles at left back.

With 15 minutes left on the clock Joanne Williamson was introduced, Cull sacrificed with Mahood dropping into midfield to bank the points. However, Petra Armstrong added the fourth and vital killer goal a few minutes later, her third in two games, with a good finish on the left, which left the goalkeeper with no chance and wrapped up the clubs fourth win in row and added another very deserved three points to the table.

Another good all round performance from a now settled team and all players made a significant contribution in a very tough game - once again the club winning a game which they would have lost a few months ago - this due to the collective workrate of the side - and although there is still a lot of areas where the club will need to sharpen up on - week by week the side is getting more confident, and already thoughts are turning to next season where Bangor Ladies will get a chance to start fresh with the vital lessons and experiences taken of this campaign - the first ever in senior football.

So it’s all nicely set up for the run in - with back to back league games at home to Carrick Rangers (tonight) and Larne (29th) before the final league match of the season, away to Ards Raiders in September.

Awards Night has been confirmed for Friday, September 22nd, at the clubrooms Clandeboye Road, Bangor.

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