Category: Results

The Albion 4 v 2 Strangford IIs

NEWCASTLE & DISTRICT AMATEUR FOOTBALL LEAGUE

Davy Teggarty’s young Albion side have been on a good run of form in recent weeks and so it continued this week with a fine performance against a strong Strangford reserve side.

The afternoon didn’t start too well when experienced keeper Johnny McGreevy dislocated a finger in the warm up and had to go to hospital. Luckily teenage central defender John McMenamin is a handy goalkeeper and he deputised.

The Albion started brightly and with five minutes gone, Graeme McMullan had the ball in the Strangford net only for it to be disallowed for what was apparently offside.

The first goal came after 35 minutes and at that point slightly against the run of play because the visitors had got back into the game. Live-wire Stuart Wilcox took a pass from Ross Bingham in the centre of the park and he unleashed a long range shot which deceived the Strangford keeper in the strong sunshine to go into the net.

Wilcox who was causing all sorts of problems with his strong running made it 2-0 on 55 minutes when he latched onto a loose ball in the six yard box to score. Moments after the restart Alan Massey intercepted the ball in centre midfield after a good tackle from Ciaran Bonner and he fired a twenty yard shot into the net which went in off a post.

With The Albion firmly in the driving seat, Steven Bridges spurned a number of chances – indeed he could and should have had a hat trick.

On 70 minutes a mix up between Bingham and Massey let Strangford in to make it 3-1 and moments later more poor defending saw the deficit reduced to one with the score at 3-2. Some last ditch defending from King and Shaun Bonner saved the day as the Albion struggled. However a long clearance was picked up by Gareth Scott who passed to Wilcox and the midfielder stormed into the penalty area to score an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net.

This was another excellent display from this young team who are working very hard for their manager and each other.

The Albion 5 v 3 Saintfield AYC IIs

The Albion produced a five star performance against what was a fairly experienced Saintfield AYC reserve side.

The home side took the lead when Shaun Bonner fired in a twenty yard pile driver from the left side of midfield. Not long after it was 2-0 when Steven Bridges followed up on an Alan Massey long range shot which the Saintfield keeper had parried to head the ball over the line.

Saintfield AYC got back into the game when they scored direct from a corner but Alan Massey continued his good scoring form when  he converted a penalty resulting from a hand ball offence from a defender after good work from Ciaran Bonner and Ross Bingham.

Early in the second half Steven Bridges made it 4-1 with a dash into the penalty area and a lob over the keeper. The visitors got a goal back to make it 4-2 but Graeme McMullan continued his good scoring form with a fifth goal. A third goal from the visitors did nothing to take away the euphoria of the home side to secure a very good three points.

In addition to those already named there were good performances all over the park with defenders Paul King, Scott McNeill and John McMenamin providing excellent cover for keeper Johnny McGreevy while in midfield Stuart Wilcox worked his socks off all afternoon. Substitutes Jordan Hayes, Matthew Murnin and Gareth Scott made significant contributions.

Lisburn Rangers 2 v 0 Ballynahinch United

United fell to their second consecutive defeat away to Lisburn Rangers on Saturday and can feel a little unfortunate as the home teams opening goal looked well offside and their second early in the second half took a wicked deflection of a defenders back to take it away from the grasp of keeper Brian McMullan.

United travel to the same opposition this week in the second round of the Irish Cup and they will be looking to gain some revenge for this defeat.

The Albion 5 v 1 Rathfriland Rangers 3rds

Newcastle & District Amateur League Division 3

The Albion played this home league match at Kilmore and came away with a convincing victory despite falling behind in the opening minutes.

Rathfriland went ahead on 15 minutes however the home side equalised very soon after and in an outstanding display went into the break 3 – 1 up.

In the second half they consolidated their victory with another two goals. The goal scorers were Alan Massey with a hat trick, Paul King and Graeme McMullan.

This was a great result for Davy Teggarty’s young charges who give their all every week and despite the occasional blip come back with regular displays that give everyone so much encouragement for the future.

Ballynahinch United 1 v 2 Sirocco Works

NAFL DIVISION 1B

United’s long unbeaten run of nine games came to a disappointing end when they lost this league game at the Millbridge on Saturday last.

The game was quite even in the opening stages although United had the lion share of the possession with Cheevers prominent on the right wing.

The best chance of the first ten minutes fell to Patterson who found himself free inside the penalty area but as he delayed his shot the ball was cleared off his foot to safety for a corner. From the corner Stuart McMullan had the ball in the net but he was correctly adjudged by the referee to be offside.

On 20 minutes Sirocco took the lead from the penalty spot a decision that was hotly disputed. The ball had broken free in midfield and a Sirocco player picked it up and passed it into the path of his team mate who ran into the penalty area. He was challenged by at least three defenders and keeper Brian McMullan who cleared the ball for a corner however the player plunged to the ground and the referee who was quite well back gave the spot kick which Brian McMullan was unable to save.

United pressed forward but despite the amount of possession they had they did not threaten the Sirocco keeper. Just before the half hour mark Sirocco were 2-0 up when they again found space through the middle of the park to slip a forward in to score past Brian McMullan with a well executed finish.

In the second half United pressed to get back into the game and did so when a shot was defelcted into the Sirocco net by a defender but despite all their efforts they could not get the equaliser.

This was a disappointing result for the home team who were looking to this game to guage how much they had progressed as Sirocco are expected to challenge for honours this year. United were every bit their match however overplaying in the centre of the midfield area was their undoing for both of the goals. The other area that they need to improve in is in converting the opportunities they create into goals. At the end of the day they proved themselves to be every bit as good as Sirocco. This week they travel to another of the fancied teams away to Lisburn Rangers.