CPDM Bangor’s young squad secure Tier 2 safety after a testing season

CPDM Bangor are celebrating after securing their Tier 2 Genero Adran North status for next season.

A 0-0 draw at CPDM Y Rhyl 1879 on Sunday ensured the blues staved off the threat of relegation.

Champions of the North Wales Women’s League last season without suffering a single defeat, Bangor found the going considerably tougher at the higher standard, but have produced some excellent performances and achieved their objective.

Sunday’s game at Belle Vue saw Bangor create the better chances, with the dynamic Menna Evans, recently capped by Wales Colleges, a major threat up front.

Manager Aron Griffith said: “All I can say is from a neutral perspective, the match was non-stop, end-to-end, with some passion and belief in it. Hats off to both teams, who didn’t stop till the final whistle.

“In my opinion, we created more chances in the second half, and at one point I thought we had won the match from a superb strike from Menna into the corner, but Rhyl’s keeper Bethan Thomas pulled off a sublime save to deny us the win.

“To finish the season on such a brilliant performance is all I could have asked for.

“Our main objective from the start of the season was to not finish bottom, and secure our status in tier 2,  and we’ve achieved that. 

“Considering we’ve lost a handful of talent from the previous season but equally gained talented youngsters coming across and through our youth system, it’s pretty amazing in all honesty.

“I would like to thank everyone who’s been part of our journey this season and all the help we’ve had on match days. Hopefully we can continue the journey for the upcoming season with things looking bright at CPDM Bangor.”

Coach Andrew “Lefty” Wright highlighted the young talent in the squad which can only get stronger from this season’s experiences.

Lefty said: “Average age of yesterday’s squad was under-19, with:

Five 16 year olds (3 completing 90 minutes)
Two 17 year olds
Three 18 year olds
Three 19 year olds

“Scary statistics and credit to the young squad for achieving their goal of competing and gaining safety in their first season in Tier 2.

“We had 13 squad players from last season who left Bangor and 11 new players who joined and filtered into the squad….with no real pre-season. CPD Merched Bangor have certainly shown they can progress if they keep at it.”

FIVE OF BANGOR’S BEST PERFORMANCES IN 2023-24

Oct 29, 2023
Genero Adran Trophy
CPDM Y Felinheli 0 CPDM Bangor 0

A great performance from Bangor which should have produced a victory.

The all-blues had already lost twice to Felin this season, but Aron Griffith’s team were unfortunate not to win this one at Nantporth, Ella Jones hitting the post and Menna Evans missing a great opportunty to win it late on.

Aug 23, 2023
NWCFA Women’s Challenge Cup
CPDM Bangor 2 CPDM Pwllheli 0

Goals from Amy Mano and Ffion Bee secured Bangor a superb win in their opening match of the season.

While the all-blues were a Tier 2 side and Pwllheli Tier 3, the Llŷn Peninsula team were a very strong outfit who have gone on to dominate the North Wales Women’s League West division, but Bangor came out on top on this August day.

Sep 17, 2023
Bute Energy Welsh Cup
CPDM Bangor 2 Airbus UK Broughton 0

Following three straight defeats, Bangor turned the tide with a well-deserved victory over fellow Genero Adran North outfit Airbus in the national knockout.

The first half was goalless, but two goals in five minutes after the break from Menna Evans and Gwen Roberts secured the home side’s passage to the first round proper.

Oct 25, 2023
NEWFA Women’s Challenge Cup
Welshpool Town 0 CPDM Bangor 7

A very young Bangor side had to make a testing midweek trip to Mid-Wales but showed great character to rattle up a seven-goal success.

Sixteen-year-old Cerys Macdonald got Bangor off to a flyer, scoring after four and 18 minutes.

Cadi Jones, also aged just 16, soon made it 3-0 and Alys Davis, 17, added a fourth before the half-hour.

A second for Cadi Jones, gave Bangor a 5-0 lead at the interval.

With the game won, the visitors could afford to take their foot off the gas in the second half, but they managed to add two more goals through Erin Basinger.

September 10, 2023

Genero Adran Trophy

Llandudno 1 CPDM Bangor 0

Not a win or even a draw for Bangor in this game, but they played well enough to earn something against the team destined to go on and become Adran North champions.

The visitors created plenty of chances, but were unable to take them, and in the end it was a single goal from former Bangor player Stevie Donougher which settled the tie.