Ladies Fourths Make Progress in Junior Plate

By Julie Fisher

The ladies fourths played their first round Junior Plate match against Grosvenor fourths at Ards Leisure Centre last Saturday. With the Grosvenor team in the league section above the thirds, it was destined to be a tough match.

The game began at a fast pace. North Down took time to settle and for the first 10 minutes were under spells of pressure but good defence work and clearances from Ann McBride and Maxine Taylor kept play from the circle. The home team began to take their chances and push forward thus winning some penalty corners. It was from one of these early corners that a well worked set piece at the top of the circle from Jo Irwin and Kathy Taylor, resulted in Kathy scoring from the circle edge. Shortly before half time Grosvenor equalised.

During the first 15 minutes of the second half, North Down dominated play and scored a further two goals with Lynsey Stevenson claiming both. The first came after she made a good run down the right wing and then placed the ball past the keeper. Her second came after Julie Fisher made a run down the left, entered the circled and then squared the ball across the goal mouth where Lynsey neatly slotted the ball into the net. Grosvenor did not give up and came back and scored their second goal five minutes from time. They continued with pressurising North Down but the home side kept cool heads and the score finished at 3-2 when the final whistle blew.