Category: Results

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.

Ballynahinch United 1 v 3 Dunmurry YM

United entertained the Division 1B league leaders Dunmurry YM at Millbridge in this league encounter. The visitors entered the game having won eleven straight league matches and throughout the first half they performed very well stretching the United defence of JJ Carlisle, Davy Boal, Ross Hayes and Stuart McMullan at every opportunity. Brian McMullan in United’s goal seen lots of action and had to be alert on a number of occasions with some excellent saves and catches. United had a few decent attacks on the Dunmurry goal with Johnny Gibson having a couple of half chances. Half time was reached with honours even and generally very little for the respective spectators to shout about.

It was United who came out of the blocks the quickest in the second half and what an impact they made with Aaron Cheevers scoring in the 46th minute when he pounced on a mistake to score with a well struck shot. United continued this ascendency with wave after wave of attacks with Greg Allison and Aaron Cheevers prominent on both wings. United were very unlucky not to go two ahead when a Cheevers cross was deflected by a Dunmurry defender onto his keeper’s chest and then onto the cross bar before being cleared. Moments later Greg Allison beat the keeper to a cross only to see his header bounce agonisingly wide of the post. Gavin Crawford almost made it two when he fired a long range shot goal ward when the Dunmurry keeper mistimes a clearance.

The home teams midfield of Ian Boal, Scott Brashaw, Crawford and Cheevers were working very hard and proving effective however United’s failure to  capitalise on their opportunities always had the potential to be their downfall however it would actually be a series of unfortunate circumstances that would contribute.

In the 75th minute Dunmurry were awarded a penalty following what looked like a decent last gasp challenge by Davy Boal. He appeared to have got the ball but the referee didn’t see it that way and having already been booked he received a second yellow card and was dismissed. Dunmurry duly took their opportunity and their penalty taker made no mistake.

Even though they were reduced to ten players the introduction into central defence of Owen Bassett gave United a solid look and indeed United had a number of opportunities.

United also had fresh legs with the introduction of Ian McMullan who proved to be a handful for the Dunmurry defenders and Lee Maxwell. Unfortunately for United an accidental collision between goal keeper Brian McMullan and Owen Bassett led to United losing their keeper with Lee Maxwell volunteering to stand in. The nine men United team fought on gamely as Dunmurry launched attack after attacked and in the dying minutes of the second half they conceded a second goal from a header. Despite a decent period of additional time they could not breach the Dunmurry defence and the unfortunate JJ Carlisle deflected the ball into his own net deep into injury time to end any chance United had.

Despite this defeat United can be well pleased with their effort because on another day they might well have had at least a draw. This week United travel to the Shore Road, Belfast for a league game against Grove United.

Dunmurry YM 4 v 1 Ballynahinch United

United travelled to Napier Park, Dunmurry last Saturday for this league encounter with the local Dunmurry Young Men side who are currently sitting top of the league.

It was Ballynahinch United who started brightly with teenager Greg Allison providing a serious threat on the right wing however it was the home side who took the lead after fifteen minutes when their speedy left winger got one on one with Brian McMullan and lobbed the ball over the onrushing keeper.

United had the chance to equalise soon after when a Dunmurry defender was penalised for pulling Ian McMullan back at a corner however the usually reliable Gareth McMullan whilst placing his kick well did not give it enough power and the home goalkeeper was able to claw it away for a corner.

Dunmurry were a fairly combative and direct side relying primarily on their left winger and it was this player that was the undoing of United for the second goal. On the half hour mark he ran onto a long ball and seeing that Scotty Brashaw was going to catch him outside the penalty area he cut across the defenders path and in the resulting unavoidable tangle of legs he won a foul and a red card for the unlucky Brashaw.

Dunmurry scored their second when Brian McMullan was unable to hold a low ground shot from a free kick on what was a very wet and greasy surface that came through a crowded penalty area.

In the second half United faced what appeared an impossible task however a number of substitutions saw the introduction of David Kelly and new signing Simon McKenna saw a more attacking line up and within five minutes they pulled a goal back when Allison outpaced the Dunmurry keeper and rounded the keeper to shoot home.

United pressed for an equaliser and were always vulnerable to the counter attack and on the hour mark they found themselves 3-1 down when despite a great save from Brian McMullan the ball fell to a midfielder to slot home.

United soldiered on but in the last ten minutes they were reduced to nine men when Stuarty McMullan was sent off for another last man tackle which was extremely unlucky particularly as the referee indicated after the game that the forward was already on his way down before the tackle was made.

Despite what was a decent performance in difficult circumstances United are going to have to address the disciplinary issues that are ruining their season and which cannot all be explained away by poor refereeing.

United have no game this weekend and will not know their next fixture until the beginning of next week.

Rossglass 3 v 6 Ballynahinch United 2nds

The Swifts got back to action with a trip to Killyleagh for this Harry Cup tie against Rossglass.

The star of the show was undoubtedly forward Johnny Stevenson who helped himself to 4 (four) goals however this was by no means an easy victory as the Swifts were behind until just before half time.

The first twenty five minutes were evenly fought until Johnny Stevenson broke free on the right wing before rifling a shot past Ross Preece in the Rossglass goal – video below.

Rossglass countered and within a relatively short space of time they were 3-1 ahead, however experienced campaigners Gareth Bingham and Johnny Stevenson levelled before half time. Bingham scored with a superb drive (below) while Stevenson’s pace and strength allowed him to break free and volley home.

In the second half the Swifts scored three unanswered goals through an own goal from an Alan Massey free kick and two more from Johnny Stevenson.

Ballynahinch United 1 v 1 Downshire

United returned to league action at the Millbridge for the first time in 2014 against their near neighbours the Hillsborough based Downshire YM who until recently have not been having the greatest of seasons. United entered the game with a plethora of changes due to the absence for a variety of reasons of experienced campaigners Davy Boal, Aaron Cheevers, Gavin Crawford, Ross Hayes and Simon Jackson from the previous week’s team.

The opening exchanges were even, however by the time United took the lead in the fifteenth minute they were dominating proceedings. A surge from defence by Scott Brashaw was not halted and as the defender took the ball to the edge of the six yard area he cut it back for Johnny Gibson to shoot home. The same player had almost scored minutes earlier when his long range shot cannoned off the crossbar with experienced Downshire YM keeper Brian Burgess well beaten.

United’s defence of Ethan Majury, JJ Carlisle and Scott Brashaw had their work cut out over the next fifteen minute period as Downshire prompted in midfield by former United player Matty Shaw laid siege to the home goal in which Brian McMullan’s handling was outstanding. The big keeper however was unable to stop the equaliser from the penalty spot on twenty five minutes after JJ Carlisle had been penalised.

After this flurry of goal scoring, clear cut openings were limited for the reminder of the game especially as the second half progressed with perhaps both teams afraid of losing. United’s midfield of Ian Boal, Lee Maxwell, Stuart McMullan and Johnny Gibson worked tirelessly to create openings while Ian and Gareth McMullan combined very well up front.

While the result may not have been to the pleasing of a good local support the introduction of teenagers Greg Allison and on his debut Jack Patterson gave them a glimpse of the future stars with neither in the slightest overawed.