Ladies football once again showed its meteoric rise in popularity with the BBC TV’s screening of Arsenal Ladies comfortable 5-0 thrashing of Leeds United ladies in the FA Women’s Cup final on Bank Holiday Monday.
While in the Borough of North Down - the sport is also getting recognition with Bangor Football Club, showing their intentions of supporting the local ladies club, by allowing North Down Ladies to play their home games at Clandeboye Park and furnishing the team with a kit in the famous Bangor blue and yellow colours, which were on display on Tuesday evening (2nd) in the clubs first home game of the 2006 season.
With the added support from current Bangor footballers Ryan Brown, Andy Morrow and Grant Dunlop, who came down to Clandeboye Park to encurage the ladies section in this Intermediate B Division game, in was important for North Down to get some sort of result in this home fixture.
Having lost to Knockbreda away, in a very exciting and competitive fixture last week - the Seasiders’ hoped to erase that memory, with an historic home win and chalk the club’s first ever three points in the sports governing body’s Northern Ireland Womens Football Association, who are affiliated to the IFA.
Squad: Angie Young; Paul Dougherty (C), Jacqueline Price, Peggy Mathews, Julie Graham; Christina McNamara, Lisa Mahood, Cathy Duncan, Carolyn Scott; Kim Dockery, Deirdre Savage.Subs: Patricia Webb and Susan Cull.
Lisa Mahood, enjoying a new role in the centre of midfield
With the late evening sunshine breaking through the heavy clouds, conditions were rapidly improving and North Down Ladies started brightly from the kick off and were quickly into their passing rhythm and in the ascendency with visitors PSNI on the back foot early on.
After just a few minutes, from some good attacking wing play McNamara put in a good ball which was knocked clear - only to Kim Dockery who, relishing in her new role up front hammered a low drive which rattled the upright with the PSNI goalkeeper reduced to a spectator.
The pattern of the game in the first half saw North Down dominate and pushed the visitors back into their own half - restricting them to a speculative long clearance - which was quickly returned from a composed back line of Graham, Mathews, Price and Dougherty.
Bangor footballers Grant Dunlop, Ryan Brown and Andy Morrow with North Down's Lisa Mahood and captain Paula Dougherty
The chances being created with Duncan and Mahood in control in midfield, were starting to fall, but resolute and determined defending was to frustrate the home side, with first Savage going close and then McNamara bursting through on the right hand side almost opening the scoring.
After 22 minutes though, Kim Dockery chasing a clever through ball, bravely slid in with the defender to lash a fierce shot across the goalkeeper which ripped into the net - and gave the home side the breakthrough and the lead which has been threatening.
The game was still being played at a good pace - and PSNI tried to get out of there half and at the Bangor based side - but Jackie Price at the centre of defence was outstanding and settled the backline with some decisive interceptions, breaking up the play.
North Down were attacking in waves and doubled their advantage within a few minutes Dockery, first to react from a cross from McNamara, made it 2-0 with a good finish.
North Down could have made it more but the PSNI goalkeeper made two very fine saves to keep the visitors in the game as the half came to an end. Half time 2-0 North Down Ladies.
Cathy Duncan, lets rip from just outside the penalty box in the first half
The second half saw the restructuring of the side, shifting from a basic 4-4-2 into a more decisive 3-4-3 which signalled the home sides intention of going for the points and killing off the visitors with this more attacking formation.
Although from a half clearance the visitors got through a defence which had pushed high up the pitch and Angie Young faced her first real test when going one on one with the attacking PSNI striker - who found the bottom corner 2-1.
PSNI might have thought this would inspire their forward line into going at the North Down defence but to be honest North Down maintained their composure and were starting to put a little more fluency into their passing game which resulted in some good football, particularly in the wide positions - Scott on the left and McNamara on the right were tormenting their visiting defenders and getting plenty of supply into the oppositions penalty area - Dockery and then Savage both carved good openings for themselves but failed to register and increase their lead - Savage having one effort scrambled off the line after a neat turn gave her the space to unleash a low drive.
Bangor Football Club welcome North Down Ladies at Clandeboye Park in the blue and yellow
The midfield of Duncan and Mahood are providing the springboard for the attacking options and were taking control in the middle of the park - both linking up well went pushing forward and the third goal - which would kill off any hopes of a PSNI revival - looked likely.
With 15 minutes gone in the second half - Trish Webb replaced Graham at the back and with both Price and Dougherty really just mopping up anything which was hit long, Webb sat in deep to stifle any hopes of a comeback for the visitors.
The third goal came with again some good play on the right - Dougherty to Duncan, who freed McNamara, showing good pace - skinned the left back and put in a good cross for the forwards to attack.
A touch at the front post left the ball on the penalty spot and Cull getting control with her first touch - turned and put the ball high into the visitors net to make it 3-1.
The visitors did respond though were restricted to the odd free kick or long range effort and although Young had had a quiet night - she was alert to a high cross under her cross bar and made a good save.
North Down though were still intent on going at the visitors and with the attacking formation and the quality in midfield - the chances were plenty.
A free kick from Dockery just sailed over with 15 minutes to go, and Savage again with a clever turn almost wrapped it up - the goalkeeper this time in the right place to smother the effort.
With just 10 minutes on the clock - Kim Dockery added the fourth and her third of the night with a clever lob, which left the goalkeeper with no chance and wrapped up the clubs first win of the season and a very deserved three points on the board.
Visitors PSNI closed the gap early in the second half - but couldn’t get on even terms
Overall this was a very solid performance and the Club, who have yet to field a settled eleven, giving a good account of themselves all over the park - the defence is starting to work as a unit despite the changing personnel making it difficult at times - Webb looks very solid, while on the flanks Dougherty and Graham and benefiting from getting a few games behind them.
The backbone of the side though is in midfield - Cathy Duncan and Lisa Mahood look very strong and capable of running at people and creating chances - while out wide both McNamara and Scott have loads of pace and both enjoy taking people on and get behind defences - up front Savage, in her first season, looks very confident on the ball and capable of scoring at any time - while partner Dockery already with 4 goals in two games - has still a lot more in the tank. Best on the night though was Bangors’ Jackie Price in her senior debut for the club who revelled in the challenge and had a really good game at the back.
Training continues on Sundays afternoons, and the club’s next game is away on Tuesday evening to Carrick Rangers - again an Intermediate B League fixture and this should be another good test for the young inexperienced Bangor side - details will be posted on this site after the match.
WEEK 2 ROUND UP
Other results in the Intermediate B Division in week 2, saw both Carrick and Knockbreda maintain their 100% starts to the 2006 season with wins resectively: Carrick away to Larne 3-0, and Knockbreda 2-1 over Belfast Banks, the only other result saw Wellington Ladies beat Ards Raiders 3-1 in Larne.
North Down Ladies - chalked up their first 3 points in 2006
