Seasiders win again

Bangor Ladies 3, Ballynahinch 2

Dee Savage netted a double to put the Seasiders 2 up

Ladies cruise into semis

Bangor Ladies, the ladies section of Bangor Football Club cruised into the semi finals of the Coca Cola Divisional Cup when they defeated Ballynahinch Olympic 3-2 on Tuesday (23rd) evening at Bloomfield Road Playing Fields.

Turning out for the first time this season in their new Sammy Mellon and Sons sponsored colours the Seasiders went through with a first half double from Deirdre Savage and a second strike from Bangor teenager Lauren McAteer. The semi finals are scheduled to be played the week beginning August 10th.

With Clandeboye Park undergoing maintenance, the match got underway on the Bloomfield Road pitches in the brilliant sunshine, which had been nudging the temperature up all day – Bangor kicked off defending the Groomsport end.

The injury crises currently stretching the squad to it’s limits, were added to with the late withdrawal of four players – out for a variety of reasons, which left Manager Andy Craig with just twelve fit footballers to start this one. Three of which were making their debuts for the league leaders.

Squad: Julie Haslam; Jenny Boyd, Paula Dougherty, Valerie McKibbin, Peggy Matthews, Christina McNamara (C), Petra Armstrong, Susan Cull, Carolyn Scott, Lauren McAteer, Dee Savage. Sub. Lynsey Turville.

The Seasiders had put in the performance of the season just last week when they had defeated a very good Wellington team with a display of open passing and fluent football. It was therefore assumed, despite the changes in personnel, that the team would be able to replicate that sort of form and book their place in the semi finals.

However visitors Ballynahinch had also a very successful week, as they chalked up their first win of the season, a 3-0 victory over Abbey Villa. Though when these two sides last met – it was Bangor who.

Indeed it was Bangor who started the stronger, Savage up front with McAteer almost opened the scoring after just six minutes, with a well struck effort, unfortunately straight at the keeper.

As the game progressed, the Seasiders playing well, just couldn’t break the visitors down in the first 20 minutes – though McAteer did ripple the back of the net on 18 minutes, only for the effort to be ruled out for offside.

Jenny Boyd - in at right back against Ballynahinch

A tactic well employed by Ballynahinch, as a succession of offsides kept the score level, right up until the 31st minute when finally the home team broke the deadlock.

The breakthrough coming as Savage hit the back of the net after showing great strength to shirk off a persistent Ballynahinch defender. Having got free, this time the Seasider drove the ball into the corner with a good finish.

With Bangor finally ahead they soon doubled their advantage, Savage again on target, blasting in past what was proving a formidable obstacle in the form of the visiting goalkeeper.

With Bangor now firmly in the driving seat the chances continued, while at the other end Haslam was reduced to spectator status as Dougherty, organised and marshalled the Seasiders make-shift defence. Bangor almost made it three – teenager McAteer striking the crossbar.

While there was no more goals recorded up to the interval, there was certainly an abundance of opportunities and credit must be given to the Ballynahinch No.1 who made some very important stops to keep Bangor out in the first half.

The new but traditional Bangor colours worn against Ballynahinch

More of the same in the second half as it turned out to be another very frustrating night for the Seasiders – who despite their supremacy were held. Another two fine saves from the goalkeeper took place as Bangor tried to up-the-tempo with McNamara and Scott dominating out wide.

Then, on a rare occasion Ballynahinch did get the ball forward, and into the penalty area – the referee blew up for a handball which could have been contested as the player it struck was not even facing play – handball, maybe - deliberate, no!
So, yet another ‘debatable’ penalty, incidentally the sixth awarded against the Seasiders this season. Although Haslam did get a hand to the resulting spot kick, but couldn’t stop the strike, the deficit was reduced to one, giving the visitors a chance of getting back into the tie.

However those aspirations were short lived as Bangor piled forward, quickly restoring their advantage and their two-goal cushion, much to the relief of a very increasingly nervous support.

Paula Dougherty marshalled the makeshift defence in this one.

A corner superbly swung in by Scott was attacked at the back post by McAteer who got enough on it to send it over the line and notch up her third goal of the season.

With the Seasiders well in control and quite comfortable, again the visiting goalkeeper made a couple more saves and again the Seasiders rattled the crossbar but failed to add to their tally despite creating a number of chances.

With 13 minutes on the clock, Lynsey Turville was introduced to the contest – making her first ever appearance for the club, settling into midfield in place of Cull.

At 3-1 the Seasiders felt that the game was over and in truth it was, although Ballynahinch would snatch a fairly late consolation goal – the Seasiders really never really felt threatened and ran out comfortable winners in the end.

Andy Craig, manager: "It’s been a very frustrating few weeks with all the injuries but the team has come through it and although we’re not the free scoring team we were at the start of the season – we are grinding out good results.

"Although a couple of players down, the players coming in are adapting and getting the team through – Dougherty was excellent, Boyd as usual reliable, while McKibbin has put in two impressive back to back performances.

"Also the three players: Turville, Cull and Matthews making their debuts tonight, all looked comfortable and made a valuable contribution to this result.

“This was an important tie to get through, and with the next round not until August I’m confident we will be better prepared with key players starting to return over the next few weeks.

"We are making hard work of games which should be done and dusted by half time – but that happens in football – and I think we just need a spark to really kick-on for the rest of the campaign.

"We are away to Abbey Villa next Wednesday (1st) with a couple of players coming back from injury and suspension, we will be in good shape for that one – so we’re really looking forward to that spark we need in this next game."

The game now switched to Dairy Hall, Newtownards, gets underway at 7.30 p.m. – all players are asked to report to the Cineplex car park at 6 p.m. or at the venue at 6.30p.m.

Lauren McAteer scored what proved to be the winner

Last Edited on 30-Jun-2009 12:01 AM