Tag: 1sts

Match Report: Ballynahinch Olympic 1 v 2 Ballynahinch United

Bells Bridge, Dromara was the setting for the first ever derby match between Ballynahinch rivals Olympic and United. It was somewhat ironic that the setting for the game was Bells Bridge which was once United’s home ground in their early days.

A decent crowd turned up for the game however if they were looking for any fireworks at this Halloween period they would have been sadly mistaken because in general terms both teams were more focussed on playing football.

Olympic as the home side made much of the early running and but for the intervention of Stuart McMullan heading off the goal line from an early attack they could have been ahead.

Apart from this United’s experienced defensive line-up of Boal, Hayes, Brashaw and Herron with Dickson providing a shield gave United’s goalkeeper Brian McMullan solid protection and kept Olympics’ prolific scorer Niall Murray at bay.

United took the lead five minutes from half time when they forced a corner which was taken by Stuart McMullan. Paul Dickson rose above everyone else to head home past Olympic keeper Ryan Walsh.

In the second half both sides had an equal share of possession without really creating any serious goal scoring opportunities. For United Dalton Tate was very effective in central midfield along with Gavin Crawford while in attack Ian McMullan and Aaron McCaffrey chased everything.

United doubled their lead on 65 minutes when Gavin Crawford, who has been scoring regularly in his second season with the club, hit a screamer of a shot from around 20 yards which beat Walsh to nestle in the net.

United were playing with confidence and didn’t have to force the issue however in the closing quarter Olympic made a few changes and it paid dividends when they scored with a deflected header to leave a grandstand finish.

United introduced stalwart Johnny Stevenson to the action for his first outing of the season along with teenager Greg Allison and their fresh legs provided a threat to an Olympic team who were chasing the equaliser. Stevenson was unlucky not to score when he crashed a shot of the Olympic crossbar however the visitors were able to hold out to secure a vital three points and end a two game losing sequence when they have perhaps been a shade unlucky with the run of the ball.

This week United host Rathfern Rangers in a league game at the Millbridge.

Match Report: Ballynahinch United 1 v 2 New Buildings [after extra time]

A packed Millbridge was treated to a real hum dinger of a cup tie at this 1st Round Intermediate Cup game.

In the early part of the match it was United who had the better of the exchanges however they were disrupted by the loss of midfielder David Kelly after only ten minutes with a dead leg sustained in the very first challenge. They should have been ahead too but Gareth McMullan and Greg Allison failed to capitalise on the openings created. As the first half progressed the visitors enjoyed a greater share of the possession and lone forward Matty Smith was proving hard to handle for defenders Boal, Hayes, Herron and Majury. It was Smith who opened the scoring for New Buildings when a misplaced pass was intercepted and a quick through ball saw the forward close in on Brian McMullan who made a valiant effort to save his shot but to no avail.

In the second half United had the strong wind in their backs and gradually as the half progressed they took control of the game creating quite a few openings. Dalton Tate who had been relatively quiet in the first half moved further forward and he got on the end of Gavin Crawford cross to volley a shot goal ward only to see the keeper get a fingertip to it and see it cannon off the crossbar. In the 60 minute United were level when an exchange of passes with JJ Carlisle saw Davy Boal venture forward and unleash an outstanding shot which whizzed into the net.

Minutes later United had a goal disallowed when the New Buildings keeper spilled a high cross from Stuart McMullan at the feet of Aaron McCaffrey who touched it over the line but the referee adjudged that the keeper had been fouled in the build-up. United pressed continually and Ross Hayes saw his downward header bounce of the crossbar to safety.

The game went into extra time with United again pressing however neither team created any clear cut chances and the game was settled minutes before the end of the first half of extra time when Wayne Glenn crossed a ball from the touchline some forty or fifty yards from goal and with Brian McMullan who had been a virtual spectator for the previous fifty odd minutes back pedalling furiously the ball dropped in under the crossbar.

The visitors put every man they could muster behind the ball to repel United’s vain attempt to equalise and they held out for a fortuitous win however they have to be congratulated for a good performance throughout for such a youthful team.

Match Report: Newcastle 2 v 0 Ballynahinch United

United travelled to league leaders Newcastle for this league game and came out on the wrong end of a 2 – 0 score line.

Early exchanges between the two sides were even and the United supporters thought that their team should have had a couple of penalties when Paul Dickson was manhandled and bundled over and later on Ian McMullan was tripped as he ran into the penalty area.

The home team took the lead after 25 minutes from a corner when a shot from Brannigan was deflected into his own net by Dalton Tate. Early in the second half United were awarded a penalty when Stuart McMullan was fouled however the usually reliable David Kelly saw his shot well saved by the Newcastle keeper. This was a blow for the visitors as the momentum was moving in their favour and minutes later the home side were 2 – 0 up again from a corner.

The United players allowed their attention to be deflected by a disagreement with the referee over what they thought was an offside decision that he hadn’t given in the build-up. Newcastle took the corner and Gribben was left unmarked to head home.

Manager Keith Hamilton threw on all three of his substitutes Greg Allison, Jack Patterson and Ethan Majury to get back into the game but it was too late as Newcastle defended sternly to remain at the top of the Division 1B league table.

Match Report: Ballynahinch United 3 v 1 Bloomfield (11/10/14)

United entertained East Belfast team Bloomfield at the Millbridge last Saturday in a league fixture hoping to build on the previous week’s excellent victory over Downshire YM. The visitors have had some good results of recent and were expected to provide stiff opposition and so it turned out to be. Despite having a good share of the play United were unable to convert the chances they created and midway through the first half they went 1 down and despite a spirited response they could not get level.

The half time team talk certainly had a very positive effect because United came out all guns a blazing and were level very quickly with a goal from Paul Dickson who was making his first appearance in the team for a month following suspension and holidays. Dickson converted after excellent work by Dalton Tate. Not long after their equaliser United went 2 – 1 ahead when Ian McMullan converted following some tenacious work from Tate.

The visitors pressed hard to get level but they found Brian McMullan and his defensive colleagues in a very determined mood. All over the pitch the players put in an outstanding shift and as Bloomfield risked more and more players forward they left themselves vulnerable and so it turned out to be when Gavin Crawford scored to put the game out of reach.
Manager Keith Hamilton will be very pleased with this result and the recent good run of results which his hard working team have achieved.

Match Report: Downshire YM 0 v 1 Ballynahinch United (04/10/14)

United travelled to Hillsborough for this league game against old rivals Downshire YM. In recent seasons games both home and away between the teams have generally been drawn so a tight match was expected and so it would be.

The home side started in lively form but United were well organised with the experienced Scott Brashaw and Adam Herron back after missing last week’s game due to the wedding of central defender Ross Hayes who was still absent along with Paul Dickson. A surprise but welcome inclusion in the team was Gregg Allison who has not played in the team due to injury.
The United back three of Brashaw, Boal and Stuart McMullan along with goalkeeper Brian McMullan were in dominant form sweeping the ball across their line with ease while midfielders Crawford, Tate, Herron and Kelly worked tenaciously supplying the willing runners of Allison, Ian McMullan and McCaffrey with good possession.

In the first half Allison was the focus point for most of United’s attacking and it was he who was fouled for the penalty which eventually won the game. A superb through ball from Crawford saw Allison run in on goal only to be bundled over by a Downshire central defender. Referee Munn awarded the penalty and David Kelly dispatched it into the net sending the keeper the wrong way.

In the second half United were once again the dominant force however Downshire were dangerous on the break and Brashaw, Stuart McMullan always had to be on their guard. United almost doubled their lead early in the second half when Allison just failed to connect with a low cross from Kelly.

Ethan Majury added energy to United’s midfield and despite a couple of late corners in the closing minutes which were really well defended United held out to deservedly retain all three points.

Late in the game the Downshire goal keeper pulled off a point blank save from Ian McMullan injuring himself in the process.