18/06/2026
MATCH REPORT – Strabane Athletic Ladies 3-5 Bangor FC Ladies
Northern Ireland Women's Football Association Championship, Wednesday 17th June
Bangor goalscorers: Naomi Donnan 9', Olivia Marshall 20', 84', Amber Dempster 48', Janine Jess 69'
Bangor FC Ladies emerged 5-3 victors over Strabane Athletic Ladies after an entertaining NIWFA Championship contest at the Melvin Sports Complex on Wednesday night.
Amber Dempster kicked the game off for the visitors, thought it was a cagey start to the contest with neither team managing to put the respective goalkeepers under pressure during the opening knockings of the contest.
That changed on six minutes when Laurie Bell's driven effort from 20 yards forced a strong parry from Strabane goalkeeper Niamh Doherty, with Naomi Donnan unable to get her head on the resulting left-sided corner at the back post.
Olivia Marshall then shaped a shot across the face of goal shortly after, but Bangor hadn't long to wait before breaking the deadlock on nine minutes – Donnan collecting the ball on the edge of the box and weighting a lofted effort over the head of Doherty and into the back of the net.
Bangor looked to keep the pressure on and Robyn McFadden was unlucky not to find Amber Dempster with a neat pass forward on 12 minutes, while Dempster looked to be clean through on goal only to be called back for a marginal offside on 19 minutes.
But a minute later, the lead was doubled. Donnan turned provider as she threaded the ball in behind the line where Marshall had made a run in behind the line, and she slotted low underneath Doherty to make it 14 for the season and two for the Seasiders on the night.
From there, for a spell, chance creation at both ends was at a premium as the game became a more physical battle in the middle of the park, though goalkeeper Lucy Winton was still yet to be really tested between the Bangor sticks with the defence holding firm.
Strabane's Hollie Johnston did have an audacious attempt from the halfway line five minutes out from half-time, but Winton was in a good position to hold her effort before Marshall's cut-back from the right was beaten away by the boot of Doherty up the other direction.
Amanda Morton – playing alongside Olivia Canavan as a centre-back pair – became the first name in the referee's notebook when she was yellow-carded for a foul outside the box on 43 minutes, with the resulting free-kick sailing out of play and not troubling Winton. After two minutes of stoppage-time, Bangor entered the break 2-0 in front.
With Bangor emerging unchanged for the second half, they looked to further stamp their authority on the contest as Strabane got things back under way – and that's just what they did on 48 minutes.
Bell received the ball on the right and put in a sumptuous inswinging cross that played Dempster in on goal, and the record goalscorer showed expert composure while one-on-one to find the bottom left corner and extend the Seasiders' cushion.
Emi Wynne then replaced Dempster in the first Bangor change on 54 minutes, with the striker capping off another goalscoring game in the yellow and blue shirt and Wynne replacing her down the middle.
Another enticing delivery from Bell had to be turned behind for another Bangor corner, though Donnan's cross was hooked away from the danger zone, while a set-piece delivery up the other direction proved more profitable for Strabane up the other way – the ball headed past Winton from inside the six-yard area on 58 minutes.
Sarah Crooks and Janine Jess were drafted into the defence, with a back-three system adopted as they joined Canavan in the rearguard with Donnan and Leah Robinson as wing-backs, with Morton and impressive debutant Mia Little withdrawn.
But Strabane were putting the pressure on having gotten back into the game, evidenced by when Winton had to make a smart save to turn behind Johnston's shot at her near post. The Bangor goalkeeper was then well-positioned to hold a well-struck Sophie Kelly effort as Strabane looked to cut the deficit.
But on 69 minutes, Bangor instead restored their three-goal cushion and in stunning style – Jess finding the net from virtually the halfway line to make it 4-1.
Bangor continued their search for goals and Doherty had to be at full stretch to parry away Marshall's low effort from the edge of the box, while Donnan struck the base of the post on 78 minutes. Up the other way, Strabane substitute Leah McMenamin's low effort was turned behind for a corner, which was headed wide for a goal kick.
Toni Stewart was replaced by Tallon McMahon in a late change in midfield, with Bangor looking to see out the remainder and add to their lead if possible – and they did on 84 minutes when Marshall got her second goal of the game, finding the bottom left corner after Emi Wynne played her in at goal.
Strabane did hit the bar with a rasping 30-yard free-kick, and they then scored their second of the game from the resulting corner with a back-post finish following a deep delivery from the left.
And they then got another opportunity on 90 minutes from an indirect free-kick inside the box which was taken after Leah Robinson had been penalised for a backpass, with Strabane making it 5-3 going into stoppage-time after the ball went in off the inside of the post.
Heidi Wynne replaced Robinson in a late concussion substitution, while McFadden was yellow-carded in stoppage-time, but Bangor held out to claim the maximum spoils in the end and make a long journey worth it.
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