Category: Fixtures

Match Report: Ballynahinch United 4 v 0 Hollywood F.C.

United entertained the relegation threatened Hollywood F.C. in this league encounter and they secured all three points with a battling performance.

The first half was generally poor with United having the lion share of the play however they could not find the elusive first goal despite laying siege to the Hollywood goal mouth. United midfield of Carlisle, Brashaw, Ian Boal, Cheevers and Herron worked tirelessly reducing the visitors to occasional breakaways but despite a number of surges forward they never really troubled Brian McMullan in the home goal.

Despite what was a frustrating first half it was United who went ahead on the stroke of half time thanks to the persistence of Ian McMullan who chased a back pass charging down the keeper’s clearance which cannoned off his body into the net.

In the early stages of the second half the visitors pegged United back with Hayes, Davy Boal and Herron, who dropped back into defence for Stuart McMullan who took a knock late in the first half and was replaced at half time by Lee Maxwell.

Having repelled Hollywood’s early dominance United started to get back into the game and they increased their lead on the hour mark when a shot from Ian Boal was parried by the visiting keeper and as the alert Maxwell pounced on the loose ball he was brought down and referee Hazzard gave a penalty. Up stepped Aaron Cheevers to fire the ball into the net. Ten minutes later United had the game wrapped up when Lee Maxwell ran in on goal and passed the ball under the advancing keeper and into the net.

United penned Hollywood into their own half and following some excellent passing exchanges on the right wing Cheevers chipped the ball into the penalty area and Ian McMullan rose high to glance the ball into the net to make the score 4-0.

Next week United travel to Newtownards to take on 1st Bangor Old Boys.

Banbridge YC 1 v 5 Ballynahinch United 2nds

The Swifts travelled to Banbridge for this league encounter with the local Youth Club team and they came away with an excellent victory.

Missing their strike force of Stevenson and McCaffrey through injury and suspension respectively manager Davy Teggarty was able to move the experienced Gareth Bingham forward to partner teenager Graeme McMullan and they provided three of the goals. Gareth Bingham opened the scoring on the half hour mark when he chipped the keeper after being put through by brother Ross who came into the team in place of McCaffrey. Graeme McMullan made it 2-0 before half time.

In the second half Alan Massey scored from the penalty spot after Stuart Wilcox had been fouled. Graeme McMullan got his second to make it 4-0 and Paul King scored the fifth while Banbridge managed a consolation.

The 2nds are at home this week to Tollymore in a league fixture.

Ballynahinch United 1 v 0 Grove United

United entertained Grove United in this league fixture at Millbridge last Saturday and having defeated the Belfast Shore Road side the previous week in a close encounter the same difficult game was expected.

It was the home team who were on the attack from kick off with JJ Carlisle and Lee Maxwell combining well on the right wing with Stuart McMullan and Johnny Gibson providing a similar threat on the left flank.

After forcing a series of corners it was United who would score what turned out to be the only goal of the game in the 15th minute. Johnny Gibson did extremely well to keep an over hit cross from going out of play which deceived the Grove defence and when he managed to cross the ball onto the edge of the six yard area Gavin Crawford was standing unmarked to head home off the inside of the post.

Throughout the game United’s defence of JJ Carlisle, Scott Brashaw, Ross Hayes and Stuart McMullan were resolute and with Brian McMullan in commanding form, Grove never really created any serious goal threat despite having some good possession.

In midfield Aaron Cheevers worked tirelessly alongside Ian Boal and Gavin Crawford while Ian McMullan was always an attacking threat but little fell his way. Gregg Alison and Davy Boal provided extra support when they came on and even though it wasn’t a convincing display it was nevertheless a deserved victory with another clean sheet being a bonus.

This week United travel to Ballywalter Rec. for a league fixture.

Ballynahinch United 2nds 3 v 0 Ardglass Colts

The Swifts had Ardglass Colts as the visitors at Millbridge on Saturday and in an entertaining game they secured all three points with three excellent second half goals.

The first half was relatively even with Ardglass going close on several occasions necessitating a lot of hard work defensively from King, McNeill, McMenamin and Bonner in support of keeper Johnny McGreevy. Paul King had United’s best opportunity when his 25 yard free kick hit the inside of the post and rebounded to safety.

After a scoreless first half things burst into action when the always lively Jack Patterson dashed down the wing and crossed to Aaron McCaffrey who volleyed an unstoppable shot into the net. Patterson led the way again when another left wing cross was met by the hard working Stuart Wilcox who headed his team into a 2 – 0 lead.

Patterson and his midfield colleagues Massey, Wilcox and Gareth Bingham were in total command at this stage but they were unable to increase their lead thanks to some excellent defending by the Ardglass team. Swifts manager Davy Taggerty introduced a trio of replacements in Nathan Farquhar, Matthew Manley and Ross Bingham and with Farquhar playing some neat football spreading the ball to all parts of the field it looked almost certain that they would score again.

The final goal came following a run down the right wing by Ross ‘Chris’ Bingham who unleashed a shot that looked as if it would land on the Downpatrick Road. In fact it dipped viciously under the cross bar and the Ardglass keeper at full stretch, managed to claw it out but the ever alert Matthew Manley ran in to fire the ball into the net before the keeper could recover.

This week the Swifts are away to Dromore Leisure Centre to play Banbridge Boys Club.

Grove United 0 v 2 Ballynahinch United

United travelled to the Shore Road, Belfast on Saturday for this league encounter with Grove United – a team who they have not played for a number of years. A strong wind blowing across the pitch made play difficult throughout, however United coped with the conditions much better than they had expected.

The game was end to end throughout with plenty of chances being created by both teams however United’s defence of Hayes, Carlisle and Stuart McMullan provided excellent cover to keeper Brian McMullan.

United opened the scoring on 20 minutes when Johnny Gibson scored a thirty yard screamer of a free kick which gave the Grove keeper no chance. United were very much in the ascendency at this stage with their midfield of Crawford, Ian Boal, Brashaw and Cheevers creating opening for the runs of Gibson and Jackson.

On the half hour mark Ian Boal had a penalty brilliantly saved by the Grove keeper after Gibson had been upended.

The second half followed a similar pattern to the first however the slender 1 goal lead never seemed like it would be enough but the introduction of Ian McMullan, Greg Allison and Lee Maxwell gave United a fresh impetus and they were able to get the upper hand with a good finish from Ian McMullan.

United entertain Grove United at Millbridge this Saturday with a 2.00pm kick off.