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Bangor fail to impress at Knockbreda
Knockbreda Ladies 5, Bangor 1

Bangor Ladies Football Club showed the less attractive side of a their Jekyll and Hyde personality with a dismal display away to Knockbreda Ladies, last Monday night (21st) in an important Intermediate B Division clash at the Upper Braniel Road pitch.

Although similar in personnel, the performance of the team was barely recognisable from that which the side had put in to beat the league leaders just a week earlier.

A starting line up of Bridget Finegan, Paula Dougherty, Christine Morrison, Kim Dockery, Jenny Boyd; Petra Armstrong, Cathy Duncan (C), Suzanne Rea, Carolyn Scott, Dee Savage and Tina Sharpe, were flanked by Sam Britain, Julie Graham and Lyndsay Rush, so once again Manager Craig had a full compliment at his disposal.

The Seasiders travelled to second placed Knockbreda Ladies expecting to, at least, give them a hard enough game, hopefully reproducing the form which had seen them triumph over the previously all conquering Saint Matthews at Bloomfield Road.

Knockbreda, who had been on the coat tails of the East Belfast outfit since the opening day of the season, had the opportunity to hit the top of the table for a few days at least, with any sort of result.

And that is exactly how the home side started - sharply, a yard quicker to the ball all over the park, determined to get away to a positive start and knock the confidence from the visitors.

In contrast the Seasiders stuttered, looked unsettled, and failed to put together any momentum, giving the ball away too easily, not contesting for the second phase ball and Knockbreda were quick to capitalise.

A break through the middle of the park, was left to Finegan to make an great save on 15 minutes pushing a fierce drive from close range over the crossbar.

With the midfield being dragged to deep, the Seasiders seemed to hit the panic button and were guilty of too many silly errors when calm and composure were the only required ingredient.

With a noticeable gap appearing between the isolated strikers and the midfield, allowed Knockbreda to flood through in numbers to put a lot of pressure on the Bangor defence.

The opener which had been threatening came from a basic mistake - a ball in the right hand corner of the penalty area was poorly defended and knocked back across the danger area where a Knockbreda forward met it and sent it low into the corner of the net, giving Finegan no chance.

Bangor were still reeling when Knockbreda almost doubled their advantage, this time Finegan helpless, as a shot rattled the crossbar but thankfully rebounded away to safety.

The first glimpse of a chance for the Seasiders fell to Savage who got in behind the back four of Knockbreda but shaded her effort wide. With the score still only 1-0 Bangor felt they could get themselves back into this one and so it was.

The equaliser came from a set piece. A corner knocked across by Scott fell invitingly at the front stick. Sharpe quickly nicked in with a tap-in to make it 1-1 and record her sixth strike in her first season with the Seasiders.

Although Bangor weren’t playing as well as they could - they had got themselves back into a game which in truth could have been done and dusted by half an hour.

Knockbreda were however in defiant mood and responded immediately to go back in front at the interval, the Seasiders caught in a classic counter punch after going ahead. Half time 2-1.

What Bangor had got away with in the first half they certainly didn’t at the start of the second - Knockbreda started just as strong as they had done from the outset, but this time making sure they punished visitors, adding a third to go further ahead, this time from a corner.

The Seasiders although down, did well to keep their heads up and keep competing against the home side, giving as good as they got. Duncan working hard in midfield, while Dockery, Morrison and Dougherty all stuck to the task well.

Knockbreda however were not making the mistakes that had cost Bangor earlier and despite a header which hit the bar from Brittain never looked like cracking and went on to added a further two goals to complete the scoreline.

This game was one where too many players just didn’t get into the match until it was too late. Add to that the basic unforced mistakes and it was hard to see any other result on the night.
Against a lesser team Bangor might have got away with it, but Knockbreda are a very capable outfit and in the end were comfortable and deserved winners.

Saint Matthews incidentally were restored back to the top of the Intermediate B Division later in the week, with a win at home over Wellington.
The Seasiders now have to show some of the character which has been lacking in the first half of the year. The club have the opportunity when they go back on the road with a trip to Crumlin on Wednesday night, in a game which manager Andy Craig will look for the side to get back into their rhythm and hopefully collect three points.

Good news is that defender Patricia Webb returned to the club for light training last weekend. Trish had been ruled out all season due to a knee injury.
Bad news was Julie Graham who got a sore knock on an ankle and will be out for the next couple of weeks.

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Last Edited on 28-Aug-2008 10:48 AM