Ballynahinch United 2nds 2 v 2 1st Bangor OB 2nds

The Swifts have been having a difficult season so far however this was a game that will have pleased manager Johnny Reid even though he was laid up at home with a serious achilles injury.

It was the Swifts who had the better of the exchanges but just when they were getting on top up popped a 1st Bangor midfielder to shot home from 20 yards past keeper Jason Stafford.

Undaunted the home side kept up their good work and they were rewarded when an excellent move involving Davy Dunlop and Greg Allison was finished off by Aaron McCaffrey with a rasping shot fro the edge of the penalty area which went in off the inside of the post.
The Swifts defensive failings came back to haunt them when 1st Bangor took advantage of a poor clearance to score after 35 minutes.

For the remainder of the half it was the home side who dominated and it was no surprise that they equalised when Ethan Majury rose to head home Allison’s pin point cross.

The second half was a fairly tight affair with the visitors testing Stafford with a few long range efforts.

The Swifts best chance came in the 70th minute when Alan McMullan broke through and was fouled by the 1st Bangor keeper. Had he have been able to keep his feet he would surly have scored. The keeper was set off for his troubles and Majury’s free kick was scrambled away.

This was a much improved performance and while there is much work still to be done they will take a lot of heart from their efforts.

The Albion 2 v 2 Dromara Village 3rds

The Albion entertained high flying Dromara Village 3rds in this league fixture at Drumaness Council pitch and they continued their excellent form.

They were the first on the score sheet with a goal from Steven Bridges who is getting on the score sheet more regularly these days.

The visitors equalised but The Albion were back in front with a penalty from Alan Massey and as it went into its dying moments it looked like they would hold on for all three points but a late Dromara equaliser meant they had to share the points.

Another great performance with teenage keeper John McMenamin, a regular centre back this season, deputising for the injured Johnny McGreevy while defensively McNeill, Murnin and Paul King were strong and resolute. In midfield Bingham, Bonner, Steven King and Wilcox are willing workers while Graeme McMullan and Steven Bridges are willing runners up front. The team is supported by Blackwood, Scott and Hayes with others unavailable or injured having to fight for their places.

Lisburn Rangers 1 v 3 Ballynahinch United

IRISH CUP ROUND 3

United returned to play Lisburn Rangers for the second week running having been defeated in a league match the previous week. This time it was in the 3rd Round of the Irish Cup and what a difference a week makes because when United came out onto the pitch they were in very determined mood.

The opening half hour was fairly even but it was the home team who took the lead from a corner when a forward nipped in at the near post to head past a helpless Brian McMullan.

This set back would not last for long because in the 40th minute Stuart McMullan fired in the equaliser from a free kick which gave the home keeper no chance.

In the second half United came out ‘full of beans’ playing fluent attacking football which the home side struggled to deal with. In the 55th minute they went ahead when Scot Brashaw’s shot, which was going wide, was intercepted by Craig Bowman who crashed it into the net. On the hour mark it was 3-1 when a surging run from Bowman ended with Aaron Cheevers getting on the end of the resulting cross to fire the ball into the net despite the efforts of the Lisburn Rangers keeper.

For the final half hour the home team pushed to get back into the game but in defence Ross Hayes led his comrades Herron, Brashaw and David Boal with typical determination while in midfield Hunter, Smyth, Stuart McMullan and JJ Carlisle worked hard to stem the tide. Up front Ian McMullan, an early substitute for the unfortunate Scot McKibbin who was injured in the first half, worked tirelessly causing major problems with his decisive running.

This week United are at home to Bloomfield in a league match.

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.