Newly crowned champions comfortable at Clandeboye Park

Bangor 5, Ballynahinch Ladies 0

Seasiders finish unbeaten at home

Bangor Teenager Lauren McAteer scored the goal of the night in Bangor's win

League Champions Bangor Ladies, the ladies section of Bangor Football Club, wrapped up the final home fixture of their record-breaking season, with a comfortable 5-0 victory over Ballynahinch Olympic, at Clandeboye Park, on Tuesday (4th) evening.


The Sammy Mellon sponsored club, lifted the 3rd division league trophy, prior to the 7.30 p.m. kick off. NIWFA Council representative Audrey Hanna, along with Hopera Stewart from the league sponsors Coca-Cola, joining Ivan Mellon for the formal presentation.


Squad: Jenny Boyd, Paula Dougherty, Leanne McGarry, Rachel Bates, Julie Graham; Christina McNamara, Lauren McAteer, Susan Cull, Caroline Scott; Dee Savage and Natasha Lee. Sub Valerie McKibbin.


It maybe a classic cliché, but this one indeed, was a game of two halves, as the Seasiders' started slow, sluggish and off-form, but finished confident, slick and totally comfortable winners.

Carolyn Scott on the left side of midfield for Bangor last Tuesday

Back at the home of Bangor Football Club, the ladies section were once again blessed with near perfect conditions. Defending the abattoir end, the 2009 league champions kicked off, looking to protect their unbeaten divisional record.


An unprecedented run has seen the North Down club put together a sequence of impressive results. Unbeaten in league competition since August 14th, 2008, the Seasiders’ have now posted 14 wins and 1 draw going into this game.


While Ballynahinch Olympic are floundering at the wrong end of the league table, the Seasiders’ record this season against the visitors, suggested a close enough contest – with the withdrawal of regular goalkeeper Finegan – there would be no room for complacency.


In the early exchanges, the Seasiders looked bright, picking up from last week’s thriller; the title-clinching win over rivals 1st Bangor in Newtownards. However, this early momentum made no impression as the home side appeared void of ideas of just how to break down a dogged Ballynahinch outfit.


Despite a great opportunity to open the scoring, Bangor’s leading goalscorer Natasha Lee, blasted over on 9 minutes when played in by strike partner Savage. And the game followed that pattern; some flashes of nice football, but generally nothing to show for it.


Lee again, on 16 minutes, in now trademark fashion, burst through the middle of the Ballynahinch defence, this time her fiercely struck drive rattling the underside of the crossbar, crashing down on the goal line, then up into the keeper arms.

Bangor striker Deirdre Savage opened the scoring

On 25 minutes, the team, which had so comprehensively won the title showdown just four days earlier, with a collective and inspired performance, appeared a very jaded side indeed. Both Scott and McAteer tried to get the Seasiders out of first gear, though respective long range efforts lacked enough power to trouble the Ballynahinch keeper.

Leanne McGarry and Bangor Ladies Football Club

Whether it was a lack of concentration or just starting this fixture with an end of season approach, the home side found themselves struggling to put together any decent stuff. The team lacked bite, seemed to be on autopilot, and seemingly not putting alot of effort into the game. Ballynahinch, seized on the lack lustre form of the champions and had a good spell on the half-hour mark.


A rare sign of urgency - a great through ball from McAteer, released Scott on the left and the winger squared it across the penalty box to the back post, Savage there for the simple tap-in to finally open the scoring.


Having broke the deadlock, Bangor still didn’t raise the pace of their game, and Ballynahinch, although not really a threat, were squaring up to the league champions, with little between the clubs, come half time.


The second half saw the Seasiders sent out after some quiet words from manager Andy Craig, unimpressed with the level of performance, and looking for his team to respond quickly.


The tempo quickened, the side clearly taking a different approach to the game, attacked the visitors from the off. With the Seasiders that yard quicker and prepared to work that bit harder – the reward for that endeavour soon materialised.


A great ball from McNamara out wide on the right, found the divisions top goalscorer Natasha Lee and the teenager finally got off the mark, nicking in at the front post to sweep the ball home from six yards.


This seemed to ignite the Seasiders; the divisional champions, who adopted a more short two touch passing game to get at their visitors who rarely had an opportunity to venture out of there own half. McKibbin replaced Cull and Bangor, now a totally different proposition would soon add to the scoreline.


First Lee, now in full flow, hit the woodwork, McNamara following up, first to react but managed to get underneath the shot. Then Savage forced a good save, as Bates broke out of the defence, shrugged off two tackles and slipped a great pass through.


McNamara and McAteer opened the Ballynahinch defence up with some crisp, short passing – the quality that was clearly missing in the first half – now evident. Lee made it three, again in the right spot, to turn in a cross from McNamara.


Just a few minutes later, the goal of the night – this time after some great work from McKibbin. McAteer picked up the clearance, rifling the ball straight into the top corner with a superb finish to make the score 4-0.

Leanne McGarry - part of a back four who have only conceded 1 in 5 games

As the Seasiders swamped the Olympic side, McGarry had a great chance from a corner on 65 minutes. Lee firing a great corner across - the centre half rose high, but just failed to get enough on the cross to direct it in.


All one way traffic as McAteer almost rattled in another, from a poor clearance, the young midfielder brought the ball down and unleashed an instinctive first time effort from outside the box, which just scraped the outside of the upright, the keeper stranded.


Again it was young McAteer, running the game in midfield, providing the killer pass for Lee who rattled in her third. The Bangor forward taking one touch at the edge of the box, before firing in low and hard into the bottom corner to make it 5-0.


Andy Craig: “The first 45 were very poor by our standards, we lacked urgency and were just not at the game. I think last Thursday’s game was still in our minds, and we looked jaded.


“Maybe I just expect to much of the team, this run has been under estimated, with the injuries and withdrawals, but we just didn’t get going until the break. On Thursday night we knew what we had to do, everyone was focused, knew their responsibility, and put it all in - job done.

Paula Dougherty, the Seasiders' right back shut out Ballynahinch Olympic at Clandeboye Park

"Tonight, it wasn't there, we played for 45 minutes as if it didn't matter – let ourselves down. Once we woke up, it was a completely different story – the urgency, clearly lacking in the first half, returned – and so did the spark. The high tempo and the work rate went up and naturally so did the performance.


“At half time I asked for a response, someone to step up and take this fixture by the scruff of the neck – Lauren McAteer responded. The teenager, a tremendously talented footballer, has put in a number of high-octane performances of late, and made an impact in the second half.


“Fairly anonymous in the first 45, in the second she was back at her tenacious best – her goal, the best of the night – was well taken, well struck and thoroughly well deserved.


"Another clean sheet, with Dougherty, Bates, McGarry and Haslam all better in the second half, in front of Jenny Boyd, who could have sat in the stands when we got going.

“Yet again Lee finished with a hat-trick, her fifth this season – sometimes there is a little too much pressure on the 18 year old. We know she is a fantastic striker, and are guilty of expecting too much from her and strike partner Deirdre Savage.

Bangor Ladies Natasha Lee and Dee Savage who have been the NIWFA top strikers in 2009

“That’s too heavy a burden on young shoulders, our more experienced players needed to up the tempo, provide more support and take some of the pressure off these two.


“In the second half, we did that, Scott, McNamara, Bates, Dougherty, McGarry, lifted it up a gear, played the sort of football they can and gave the best strike partnership in the whole NIWFA the sort of service which has brought the league title to Clandeboye Park.

"It was great to see some of the faces who have been out this season, down tonight to support us - Kim Dockery, Tina Sharpe, Lynsey Ruddock, Cathy Duncan and Trish Webb - and to hear from Christine Morrison, due to wed on Saturday - everyone sends their best wishes to her.

"Also thanks to Northern Ireland international Ashley Hutton, who has been involved in the coaching of Bangor Ladies recently. Ashley, currently playing for Leeds United Ladies, has close connections with her home town club, and always stays in touch".

Bangor’s will look to complete their memorable season, in their final league game on Wednesday week (19th), away the Wellington Rec. at Brookvale Park in Larne. The game kicks off at 7.30 p.m. And who was the last team to beat the Seasiders in a league competition – Wellington Rec., 6-4 in a game played on August 14th 1008 – so expect another tough game.

Seasider Lauren McAteer volleys in the best of the night

Last Edited on 8-Aug-2009 8:23 AM