Action from last year's clash with Saint Matthews Ladies

Bangor Ladies kick
off at Cherryvale

BANGOR LADIES, the official ladies section of Bangor Football Club, kick off with an away fixture against Saint Matthews, up at Belfast’s Ravenhill Road - the first game of the Intermediate ‘B’ Division 2008 season which will run for the next 5 months.

The Seasiders will be hoping to make a reasonable start this year, although their opener could prove a tough test, as the young Saint Matthews outfit was the only club to take maximum points off the North Down side last year.

The team will be boosted by the return to full training recently of two of their most influential players with club captain Cathy Duncan and 2007 Player of the Year Kim Dockery both available for this opening clash.

It is also hoped that Tina Sharpe will also make the squad - Tina lost most of last season through injury and will be looking forward to a return to competitive football.

Although as luck would have it, the Seasiders have lost the services of regular starting right back - Trish Webb damaging a knee during training which unfortunately will see her side lined for the start of the campaign - and everyone at the club will be sending their wishes for a speedy return.

Also missing will be Petra Armstrong and Jeni Boyd both continuing their studies at college in England though both will be back to bolster the side in May.

A big boost for the side is the signing of goalkeeper Sam Brittain, yet another Northland Raider who has walked from the Newtownards club. Sam, was one of six new faces in this season, so for the moment at least the club is in fairly good shape.

After a fairly disappointing end to last season, a fixture backlog which stretched the sides resources to the absolute limit and which led to the Seasiders in the wrong half of the league table which set the side back after a very promising start to the season.

Thursday night though will be a good test for Bangor, with Saint Matthews arguably starting as favourites for the championship in September - the West Belfast side finishing a strong third in 2007 - and with both the teams who finished above them: Newtownabbey exiled to the Reserve division, and Northland Raiders IIIs wiped out - they’ll fancy their chances to do well.

But it’s a new season, bringing a new challenge and under the management of Andy Craig there is a renewed hope at Clandeboye Park that the local ladies side can get something from this opener which would prove a positive start.

After taking on Saint Matts, the Seasiders will then be welcoming Wellington Recreational to the Borough next Tuesday evening, in a NIWFA Coca Cola Cup fixture - this game replaces the scheduled league game at home, against Knockbreda Ladies which has been moved by the NIWFA League Council to Thursday 29th May.

Training will continue on Sunday afternoon’s over the next few weeks - with the emphasis on working on the development of a promising batch of young players who will be given their league debuts over the coming few weeks.

Details for next week - Training - Sunday 4th, as normal, Bangor Valentines (Cineplex end) 2.15 until 4 p.m. Cup Game, next Tuesday 6th, all players who are available are to meet at the Valentines at 6.30 p.m. for a 7.15 kick off. All new players who would like the opportunity to play competitive football or who just wish to improve on their fitness will be welcome to come along any Sunday or contact the club Secretary Julie Graham by phone or text to 07837 014398.

Hutton heads
for the heights

BANGOR FOOTBALLER Ashley Hutton will once again be hitting the heights as she jets off to Reykjavik next Wednesday (7th) to take up an offer of a professional contract with one of the most improved sides in the Kvenna Landsbankadeild (Womens Premiership) Icelandic club - Fylkir F.C.

The Robinson Crescent teenager, who has featured for her local ladies football side, scoring for Bangor Ladies in a pre-season game against Millisle side Abbey Villa, will be returning for her second term on the volcanic island, after she secured a scholarship last season through her association with Bangor Football Club.

Ashley has strong ties with the Bangor club and having being signed as a twelve year old under Bangor coach Andy Craig - who has seen his young protege develop into one of Northern Ireland’s top female footballers.

After being flown with out for trials last May, the Northern Ireland international was joined out in Iceland by Andy in September where the Bangor manager negoiated a full Icelandic Football Association (KSI) contract which means Ash will be living, working and of course playing her competitive football out in Iceland throughout the summer months.

The ex-Bangor Academy schoolgirl who continues to set the highest standards in her chosen discipline, has been extremely busy during the winter, where she has been training and playing with her university team at Leeds Met., where she is studying a degree in Sports Science.

As well as competing every Wednesday, training on Tuesdays and Thursdays, Ashley has also been featuring regularly for Leeds United Ladies at the weekends - her last appearance being in an impressive 2-0 win over Liverpool, which virtually secured a top three English Premiership finish for the Yorkshire club.

Bangor's Ash Hutton makes the bench at Monday's Cup Final

With the season now concluding on the mainland, with the F.A. Cup final scheduled for Bank Holiday Monday (5th), where Ashley’s former club Arsenal Ladies take on her present side Leeds United - with over 20,000 tickets already sold for this showpiece finale, although Ashley is not scheduled to start, she has been brought into the squad, and will be with the Leeds side in Nottingham on Sunday.

The Northern Ireland defender has just recently returned from the continent where she played for the national side in their disappointing Euro Qualifier defeat to the Czech Republic on Saturday (26th), will be flying out to Reykjavik late on Wednesday afternoon to prepare for their opener on May 13th when rivals Club Fjolnir are the visitors to the Fylkisvöllu, the home of Fylkir.

International Ash Hutton heads for Reykjavik next week

Although frustrated at the dismal run of successive defeats in the 2009 Euros campaign, Northern Ireland, grouped in with some of the top sides in Europe, have used the experience to help improve their fitness levels and give some of the Province’s younger footballers the opportunity to play at this top level.

Ashley though will be putting the defeat firmly behind her as she prepares to embark on her second season in the Landsbankadeild with Fylkir, who enjoyed their highest ever league position in their forty year history last September, the Bangor teenager helping guide the club into a very respectable mid-table position.

Although it is widely accepted that football is a team sport, Ashley has featured consistently in award nominations for her dedication and commitment to the sport of ladies football which continues to flourish in popularity.

As well as playing a lot of competitive football, Ashley will also be working with young children in the suburb of Arbaer in Reykjavik coaching football and helping the kids to master the English language - no doubt with a slight ‘Norn Iron’ flavour.

Though it won’t all be hard work and toil for the international, who has pencilled in a few luxurious hours of recovery in the infamous steamy waters of the Blue Lagoon, a huge geothermal hot spa, and one of the most visited attractions in Iceland - which is just the right place to relax after a tough day at the office.

ASHLEY SECURES SCHOLARSHIP IN 2007

Last Edited on 11-May-2008 3:35 AM