Category: Results

Match Report: Ballynahinch United 2nds 3 v 3 Kirkistown 2nds

The Swifts entertained a strong Kirkistown side at Millbridge in their first home game of the season. Conditions were excellent for free flowing football on a well-manicured pitch and the small band of spectators was well entertained.

It was the visitors who scored the first goal when their centre forward shot home after some good work to get ahead of the Swifts central defenders leaving Johnny McGreevy with no chance of saving a well struck shot.

The home side soon got into their stride and having missed a good opportunity in the 15th minute teenager Graeme McMullan didn’t miss in the 20th when he stroked the ball home after good work by Ross Bingham.

In the 25th minute another teenager Matthew Manly gave the Swifts the lead when he picked up a loose ball in the penalty area and shot home.

The Swifts defence of McNeill, King, Bonner and McMenamin were constantly under pressure with midfielders Wilson, Massey, Manly and McPhail combining with them to keep the Kirkistown attack at bay.

In the second half Kirkistown started strongly and equalised after 55 minutes and then went 3 – 2 ahead in the 70th minute. The Swifts introduced David Griffiths and Alan McMullan into the fry and from the right wing Graeme McMullan crossed for Matthew Manly to head home the equaliser.

This was a hard fought game with both teams intent on attack and a draw on this occasion was the fairest result.

Match Report: Killough 2nds 4 – 5 Ballynahinch United 2nds

The Swifts got their league season started with an excellent away win to Killough Seconds. Last year the two sides met in a thrilling 5 – 5 encounter but this time the visitors edged the home side out with goals from Ross Bingham [2], Alan Massey, Paul King and David Griffiths.

The 2nds entertain Kirkistown 2nds at The Millbridge this Saturday 20th September in a league game.

Match Report: Ballynahinch United 3 v 2 Grove United

United went into this match on the back of a series of cup defeats and were anxious to get back on the winning trail in this league encounter. Whilst a number of the more experienced players were back in action the team was missing Paul Dickson and Craig Bowman through suspension,  JJ Carlisle now off to University, Scott Brashaw and Gareth Bingham both unavailable whilst Gregg Allison is injured. The visitors who were quite a youthful team got off to a great start when they went ahead after one minute when a long cross from the right wing was headed into the net via the post. Things got worst inside ten minutes when a clearance broke kindly for their centre forward and he smashed the ball past Brian McMullan who had no chance of saving it.

The home team were shelled shocked and they really never got going and could on several occasions have fallen further behind had it not been for timely interventions from the defensive line up of Ross Hayes, David Boal, Ethan Majury and Craig McMullan and a number of fine saves from goalkeeper Brian McMullan.

The second half started poorly with United taking some time to get into the game until a positional changes were effected with Stuart McMullan moving to the left side of midfield and Herron to left back, The impact was almost immediate as United increasingly got on the attack however the visitors held resolute frustrating them until late in the game.

McMullan and Herron were proving a handful on the left side and it was they who created the opening that led to United’s first goal and for which Grove paid a heavy penalty. In the 80th minute Aaron McCaffrey was put through by McMullan and he was pulled back by the Grove number 5 and as it was his second booking he was red carded. From the resulting free kick on the edge of the penalty Dalton Tate shot home through a space in the defensive wall.

Buoyed on United pressed forward with midfielders David Kelly, Gavin Crawford and Dalton Tate seeing a lot of the ball and finding more openings and from a corner the ball broke free for McMullan to stroke the ball into the net from close to the penalty spot. The game was now into injury time but as there was a fair bit of additional time due to time wasting United pressed forward. In the 92nd minute McMullan eased the ball away from the Grove goalkeeper on the left hand side of the penalty area and he swivelled close to the bye line close to the  six yard box to find Gavin Crawford running in and crashing the ball into the net.

In the closing minutes Grove pressed to get an equaliser but United held the ball from them to secure a vital three points.

This week United travel to East Belfast for a league game.

Match Report: Sirocco Works 1 v 3 Ballynahinch United

United travelled to New Grosvenor last Tuesday night for the second of the season’s two midweek games against a strong Sirocco Works team who had like their opponents not found that winning formula after three league games.

The early exchanges were even with Sirocco enjoying the advantage of a strong wind while United’s slick passing enabled them to gain valuable attacking opportunities. United suffered the loss of forward Gareth McMullan with a hamstring injury after twenty minutes. Sirocco created a few chances which Brian McMullan dealt with well while at the other end the Sirocco keeper pulled off an outstanding goal line clearance from a shot by David Kelly. On the half hour mark as United pressed up field they were caught out by a long ball which left the Sirocco centre forward free to run through and slip the ball past Brian McMullan. This was a blow for United however they were not to be behind for long as after a few unproductive attacks Dalton Tate released Stuart McMullan on the right wing and he slipped the ball to David Kelly who centred for Gavin Crawford to head superbly into the net.

In the second half United had the advantage of the wind and they varied their tactics with more use of the longer diagonal ball which caused the Sirocco defence lots of problems. Time and again Stuart McMullan and Aaron McCaffrey beat the offside to create openings.

In the 50th minute following excellent work on the right wing by Craig Bowman found David Kelly who created an opening for Scott Brashaw to run into the penalty area and unleash a shot that went in off the post to give United the lead.

This was a lead that United were determined to hold onto and this was epitomised throughout the team. In defence Paul Dickson rose to clear a barrage of long balls while his defensive colleagues Davy Boal, Craig Bowman and Craig McMullan repelled attacks all along their back line. Brian McMullan who was rarely troubled still handled superbly when called upon. In midfield Kelly, Tate, Brashaw and Crawford worked their socks off while Stuart McMullan and McCaffrey provided an excellent first line of defence as they harried the Sirocco defenders at every opportunity.

Despite holding the lead things remained tense until the 80th minute when United got their third goal which always looked as if it would come. Once again it was pressure on the right wing that created the opening and when McCaffrey latched onto the ball in the penalty area he cleverly side footed it to David Kelly who thumped it into the roof of the net.

Sirocco pushed hard in the closing minutes to get back into the game but United remained steadfast to hold on to the valuable three points they had worked so hard for. Gareth Bingham replaced the hard working McCaffrey in the forward line and like all his team mates he put in a valuable shift.

This result is a just reward for some decent performances by United in these opening league matches of the season. Over the next three weeks they face Lisburn Rangers, East Belfast and Killyleagh in cup matches.

Match Report: Ballynahinch United 1 v 1 Wellington Recreation

United got their 2014/15 season underway with a nail biting 1 – 1 draw at the Millbridge.

It was nail biting purely from the perspective that the team and their supporters had to wait until the 92nd minute for their equaliser as the visitors had taken the lead in the 75th minute against the run of play.

United began the day quite purposeful with Gavin Crawford and Stuart McMullan in attacking roles with Craig Bowman, Dalton Tate, David Kelly, Paul Dickson and Adam Herron working tirelessly in midfield. Scoring opportunities proved rare but Paul Dickson went close on a couple of occasions almost flicking the ball into the net from a Tate freekick and then driving a shot narrowly wide just before half time.

The second half was pretty much played out in the centre of the field with very few scoring opportunities however Wellington Recreation who had a few experienced campaigners in their ranks took the lead when a United attack broke up and the ball found their right winger. He passed it into the path of their centre forward who seemed to take the ball to close to the bye line however he managed to squeeze the ball into the net passed a surprised Brian McMullan.

Scot Brashaw moved into central midfield and with JJ Carlisle, Gareth McMullan and Aaron McCaffrey introduced into the fray United pressed for the equaliser. This left United a little vulnerable at the back and Brian McMullan had to come to the teams rescue with a fine save.

As the game went into injury time and the referee’s book was filling up with the names of Wellington players generally for time wasting and kicking the ball away tactics United won a corner. Up came keeper Brian McMullan and as the ball was floated into the area it was headed downward and McCaffrey got a touch to send the ball into the net. Moments later the same player almost gave United all three points when David Kelly sent him free on goal but his low shot was cleared by the Wellington keeper.

At the end of the day neither team really deserved all three points so a share of the spoils was about right. The two teams meet again next Saturday in Larne.