GLENAVON WOMEN BEAT BANGOR

Bangor FC 4-5 Glenavon FC

Sunday 18th January
Nelson Centre 10.10am

Last Sunday saw Glenavon Ladies Futsal take on Bangor Ladies in a return league fixture.

Due to international call ups, this match was put back a week but the squad was stretched to almost breaking point with only 5 players available.

The game started with the Lurgan Blues somewhat on the back foot with only 4 players starting the game as one player was locked outside the venue.

Pressed back by Bangor, Glenavon were very much on the back foot and went one nil down to an unlucky deflection which wrong footed Megan in nets.

With teams now level in terms of players Glenavon gradually began to dominate the exchanges with young Alex then scoring twice to put the Blues 2-1 in front.

With Beth Chambers and Amy McAlister blunting a lot of Bangor attacks the game settled down to an even contest. Then before halftime Bangor equalised to mean both teams entered halftime 2-2.

The second half began much like the first with Bangor on the front foot and attempting to impose themselves on Glenavon. Standing strong with Amy in particular making some important blocks and with Megan determined not to be beaten again, Glenavon came back into it.

Scoring twice through Becks and Beth, Glenavon were on top and in control.
However as the half wore on, the lack of numbers began to tell on Glenavon, as they energy levels dropped and they were pushed deeper and deeper with Megan McCabe making a number of vital blocks in the Glenavon goal. Bangor continued to press and scored with another defection making it 4-3.

This was the way it finished with some very very tired but delighted Glenavon players.

The result sees Glenavon maintain their place at the top of the table on goal difference with 2 league games left to play.

Coach Craig Morrow said after the match “We are delighted to continue our winning run. At the start of the season we were new as a group so we wanted to have as much fun as possible, that today was not fun.

There are not enough superlatives to describe the players performances, Megan was a colossus in nets, Amy at the end didnt have legs of rubber but of jelly and somehow still made blocks, Becks was suffering with her asthma at halftime but kept going, young Alex scores 2 and Beth taking over as Captain today was a non stop machine, unbelievable. The 5 deserve so much credit.

We have two games left in the league and then we enter the playoffs, hopefully we can get a few more bodies available to help out.
We will continue to take one game at a time and not look beyond next week’s match against Rosario.”

Craig also mentioned “Congratulations again must go to Jess Rea, Megan Weatherall and Beth Chambers for being selected for the NI representative Futsal team that played against the Republic of Ireland in Newry Leisure Centre last weekend, in preparation for upcoming Euro qualification games. Richly deserved honour especially for Beth who has been excellent in recent matches.”

Squad 1. Megan McCabe, 5. Alex Winnington, 6. Amy McAlister, 18. Beth Chambers (Capt), 23. Rebecca Dickson

Goalscorers: Alex Winnington – 2, Beth Chambers – 1, Rebecca Dickson (Becks) – 1