Tag: Greg Allison

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.

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.

Ballynahinch United 2nds 2 v 0 Annalong 2nds

The Swifts continued their return to form with a win at Millbridge last Saturday against a workmanlike Annalong 2nds who played good football throughout.

The side were missing a number of regulars due to first team call ups and injury however those players who came in gave good accounts of themselves.

The game was very close in the first half with the best effort being a long range shot from Jay Smyth which was well saved while Johnny McGreevy had to twice palm shots away for corners. The Swifts had the best opportunity to take the lead when the ever reliable spot kick taker Alan Massey hit the cross bar from a penalty kick awarded by referee Alan McAvoy after Aaron McCaffrey had been upended by the Annalong keeper. Annalong almost took the lead themselves in the final minute of the first half when the ball rebounded off the Swifts cross bar with Johnny McGreevy well beaten.

In the second half the Swifts came out with a lot more purpose and they took the lead when Alan Massey’s 50th minute corner was side footed into the net by central defender Scott McNeill. Defensively the Swifts tightened up considerably with Greg Allison, Paul King, McNeill and Shaun Bonner decisive when called upon.

Jay Smyth in central midfield was ever lively and again brought a great save from the Annalong keeper with a second long range drive. Ross Bingham and Matthew Manly were causing a lot of problems on the wings while the hard running of Graeme McMullan and McCaffrey up front kept the Annalong defence busy. It was teenager Graeme McMullan who made it 2-0 when he ran onto a through pass to slot the ball under the advancing keeper.

The same player had another great opportunity late in the game but he placed the ball wide and his strike partner McCaffrey should have opened his account late on.

Substitutes Stuart Wilcox, John McMenamin and Lewis Lowey came on for the last quarter and they gave good accounts of themselves in what was a very good team performance which will have pleased manager Davy Teggarty.

Ballynahinch United 2nds 3 v 2 Ballynagross 2nds

The Swifts got back to winning ways with an excellent win at home to Ballynagross 2nds.

Manager Davy Teggarty’s line up was restricted through the absence of experienced players Glynn Robinson, Johnny Stevenson and Gareth Bingham with injury. Indeed the teams early season form has been hampered by injury to key players and a series of defeats have resulted.

It was the Swifts who took the lead with a strike from Graeme McMullan however by half time Ballynagross were ahead by 2-1.

In the second half the Swifts lifted their game with David Kelly and Greg Allison prominent and they equalised from the penalty spot when Alan Massey was foulded and he gathered himself up to score from the spot.

Both teams chased the winner however the it was Ross “Chris” Bingham who won all the plaudits with his superb winning goal which made up for a glaring miss the previous week.

This was an excellent performance from the Swifts which must be repeated each week if the team are to challenge for honours. A number of players have broken into the team from the Albion and they are to be commended for their efforts particularly the youngsters.

Results elsewhere have meant that they still are in reach of the leaders with only a handful of points separating half a dozen teams.