Fourths dethrone Queen’s Fourths

Bann started well against the strong side of Queens Fourths. Most play in the first ten minutes was on the left hand side, and left wing Helen Monaghan used the ball wisely and made brilliant tackles to stop any attack from Queens.

As both teams settled into the game, Julie Pollock worked hard in midfield to push the ball forward to Bann strikers Angela Cowan, Laura Stevenson and Andrea Harrower.

Attacks were coming from both teams, Queens had two attempts at goals after each other, but the goals were denied by Bann ‘keeper Danielle Dickson.

Bann had their first attack through a well worked tackle by Angela Cowan, who made a super pass to Julie Pollock, but the final pass wasn’t good enough to create a goal.

Bann again went on the attack this time managing to get the first short corner of the game due to hitting a Queen’s player foot in the ‘D’. The short corner was pulled out to Julie Pollock who connected perfectly with the ball only to be denied by the Queen’s keeper who kicked the ball straight to a Bann stick but was put wide.

Both teams had further chances, with Bann looking the more promising side but being caught flat footed on the attack only to be kept in the game by on form ‘keeper Danielle.

Bann piled the pressure on Queen’s but they just couldn’t find the back of the net. Bann were waiting patiently for a goal and it looked as if the game was to be going into the half as a draw but Bann got the break through just before the half time whistle, a brilliantly smashed ball into the circle for Angela Cowan to slot home the ball comfortably to make the score 1-0.

The second half started quite similar to the first, a lot of play coming down the left hand side, but the Bann defence of Cathrine Reid, Helen Monaghan and Rachel Groves held off several attacks.

Queen’s got their first penalty corner of the game which forced the Bann keeper to make another excellent save. On the 18th minute of the second half, Bann were rewarded with their second goal from Andrea Harrower which was coolly finished after a well worked set piece involving the midfield and attackers coming together to create the goal.

Bann continued to attack but were denied any further goals. On the stroke of full time, Queen’s were awarded a short corner which was amazingly cleared off the line from Cathrine Reid and Bann saw the game out to win 2-0.

A brilliant performance by the girls. Player of the match goes to keeper Danielle Dickson and Rachel Groves.

Many thanks to coaches Joel Reid and Dylan Cowan and umpire Julie Craig, and the travelling support.