By Lewis Bennett
BANGOR FC Ladies have their sights on back-to-back victories over Greenisland Women on Monday night (7.30pm) when they visit Glenkeen Avenue for the second time in 10 days.
This time, it’s in the last-16 of the ToalsBet.com Women’s Challenge Cup where Chris Dougan’s side will aim to back up their 2-1 NIWFA Championship victory at the same venue.
There was late drama last Friday night as Amber Dempster and Amanda Morton both netted with under 20 minutes remaining to turn the tide after their hosts had taken a first-half lead, with Morton’s finish coming in the first minute of added-time to wrap up the three points.
Erin McCauley struck just after the half-hour mark to ensure Greenisland went into the half-time break in front, but the visitors produced a response in east Antrim to make it four wins in a row across all competitions.
Although not in the high-scoring vein of the three triumphs that preceded it, it showed a different side to this Yellows contingent and it paid dividends as they atoned for their 4-3 opening-day loss to Greenisland back in March.
The east Antrim side, promoted into the Championship this year after winning the Division One title last term, showed they meant business after edging that seven-goal thriller. But there’s a sense Bangor are also hitting their stride, further backed up by Friday’s success.
Now they head back into knockout action determined to secure a quarter-final place in the Co Antrim FA-backed Women’s Challenge Cup where Premiership opposition likely awaits.
Dougan’s side are in buoyant mood and showcased that when they turned the tide following McCauley’s 31st-minute opener for Greenisland. That was a lead the home team held until half-time and for almost half an hour of the second period before the division’s top goalscorer Dempster levelled on 73 minutes.
And from there, there was time for a coup de grace in stoppage -time as veteran former Larne and Crusaders midfielder Morton converted what proved to be the winner for the Seasiders on a dry, sunny evening.
The result lifts Bangor up to 18 points from 10 matches as they kicked off what is officially the start of the second half of the league season on a high note, and now they’ll aim to make it five wins in succession on Monday night.
It also represents a chance to emulate the Bangor men’s team, who dispatched Greenisland at this venue on their way to Steel and Sons Cup glory back in August 2022, with the Ladies equally keen to go on a cup journey to run alongside their league commitments.
If last Friday night is anything to go by, this will be a much closer scoreline than the 8-0 the men won by that day and a much tougher challenge, but there’s a big reward at the end of it for Dougan’s side should they prevail.
