Comfortable win for Seasiders
Ballynahinch 1, Bangor Ladies 3

Ladies 100% on the road

Bangor Ladies, the ladies section of Bangor Football Club, picked up another three valuable points on the road, with a comfortable 3-1 victory over County Down ladies club Ballynahinch Olympic in the Coca Cola 3rd Division Championship.

The win maintains Bangor Ladies 100% record away from home and although content with the 3 points, the visitor's could and should have compounded this victory with a more comprehensive scoreline – the league leaders wasting numerous chances to add to their three goal tally.

The game got underway in glorious sunshine on the stroke of 7.30 p.m. on what was a rock hard surface at the Millbridge pitch. The Seasiders knew that nothing less than a win would do, as their Newtownards rivals 1st Bangor had recorded a victory on the Monday evening, subsequently leap frogging over the North Down outfit to top the division.

Squad: Julie Haslam, Paula Dougherty, Rachel Bates, Trish Webb; Cathy Duncan; Christina McNamara, Jenny Boyd, Carolyn Scott; Lauren McAteer, Dee Savage, Natasha Lee. Subs: (Used) Petra Armstrong and Lynsey Ruddock.

Although it was an usual line up that started the fixture, regular No.1 Finegan missing, manager Andy Craig adopted to go with a sweeper for the first time this season and an offence boasting three strikers up front.

Bangor settled into the game quickly – the team playing some decent stuff and as early as the second minute created their first half chance. Lee using her strength to drive through the locals defence, but shot wide.

At the back, a pyramid defensive formation of Bates, flanked by Dougherty and Webb, protected in front by Duncan was deployed and were solid right from the start of the fixture – handing the initiative to one of the most prolific front lines in the whole NIWFA.

With Bangor starting really well, it was Scott, joint top goalscorer in the division at the moment, who opened the Seasiders account in under 10 minutes. Following up good work from McNamara and Lee, the midfielder arriving at the back post – neatly swept the ball in to settle any nerves.

This signalled a progression of attacking football, as Bangor continued to be the dominant force in this one. A few minutes later with Ballynahinch defending a corner, McAteer almost doubled the visitors advantage – the teenager attacking at the back post to head the ball downwards but it just shaved the wrong side of the upright.

Carolyn Scott scored her seventh of the season

The forays continued with first Savage guilty of a glaring miss, then McNamara had probably the easiest chance of the night after a shot from Savage. The Olympic keeper took the sting out of the low drive at the near post – the ball spinning invitingly across in front of the empty net – the right side midfielder looked a certainty to simply tuck it away to make it 2-0, however the ball was somehow blasted over the bar.

The chances continued, while Haslam, protected by the reliable Bates really didn’t have an awful lot to do. Again Savage broke through the home sides defence but her effort struck the upright and Ballynahinch escaped.

Then Lee rattled the woodwork from wide out on the right hand side – it was turning into just one on those nights – the harder the Seasiders tried, the less success they merited – although it was felt the second goal was coming.

Playing with this unusual formation meant the Seasiders had at times, five strikers up top and this did produce the desired effect – although despite the succession of chances that second goal eluded the visitors.

However, on 27 minutes Cathy Duncan, playing in front of the back three, showed just the determination required. From a corner, the ball fell sweetly for the club captain, who rifled a shot, which a defender partially blocked only for it to rebound back to Duncan who drove it low and hard into the corner.

At 2-nil, Bangor continued to lay siege and go at Ballynahinch. At the back, the trio of Dougherty, Bates and Webb snuffed out any possible response, with some basic defending denying the home side’s threat.

Despite the dominance, Bangor surprisingly failed to add to the scoreline as the first half came to a close at 2-0 although content with the scoreline – it was felt that the Seasiders could really push on.

Unfortunately the second half mirrored the first forty five, with Bangor creating chance after chance but unable to convert and get clear from the home side, who at 2-0 were arguably still in the contest.

The third goal which would hopefully inspire the strike force came on 53 minutes – Duncan playing a clever pass up front, McAteer getting the ball to Lee and this time the Bangor Academy teenager struck from 20 yards giving the keeper no chance.

Still the floodgates remained tightly closed although Bangor were pushing and pushing for another goal. Lee again hit a powerfully effort from out on the right and this time the Olympic goalkeeper made a great save to deny the Seasiders.

Rachel Bates - flawless at the heart of the Seasiders defence

The sucker punch Ballynahinch goal came from a soft free kick and completely against the run of play. Although the free was nicely struck - Nicola Madine hitting over Haslam who despite having not really being involved in the contest – was somehow picking the ball out.

The final twenty minutes of the game was probably the most frustrating spell the Seasiders have endured all season – despite numerous opportunities to increase the lead – it just wouldn’t go in.

McAteer was very unlucky with another great header from a corner, while the keeper made two good saves as Bangor continued to pepper the home side’s goal.

Savage, Scott, McAteer and Lee all wasted guilt edge chances to increase the scoreline but the Ballynahinch goal seemed charmed as despite the supremacy of the visitors the scoreline unbelievable remained at 3-1.

Bangor Ladies manager Andy Craig reflected: “Up front we have to look at our finishing, the stats would be cause for some embarrassment – particularly shots at goal and then shots on target and I think we need to address this quickly.

“I took a gamble with the shape of the side, and while defensively the response was excellent, we lost our way late in the first half. As the frustration crept in, our wide players got narrow and that it made it very congested and really made things difficult for ourselves.

“We played reasonably better in the second but the chances we wasted were criminal and at whatever level you play at, in whatever league – teams can’t afford to be this wasteful. Thankfully Ballynahinch didn’t really trouble us – though we were guilty of just too any mistakes up front.

Natasha Lee hit the third in the second half

“At the back we were excellent in all areas. Disciplined, decisive and shut the home side out – Bates in particular put in a no nonsense display of first class defending.

“At the end of the day – it was an important win, and it puts us back on top of the league. Although our expectations are high, the truth is, the manner of the win is irrelevant. As a team, we are disappointed not to be winning every week by 6, 7 8 goals but the desire is there, the work ethic good and results evident of where we are at this season. So all we have to do – is keep working hard, keep creating the chances and keep positive.”

The game itself finished a very comfortable win for the Seasiders, which extends the club’s current unbeaten league fixtures to eight which can be traced back to August 2008. So the Seasiders will now have to try and take this positive frame into their next game - a massive league encounter against Wellington when they meet the Larne team, currently in third spot in the table, at Bloomfield Road on Tuesday 16th evening.

Cathy Duncan notched up the Seasiders second

Last Edited on 1-Aug-2009 5:26 AM