Tag: Millbridge

Ballynahinch United 1 v 1 Dunmurry YM

United entertained Dunmurry YM at the Millbridge on Saturday in a league game. Encounters between these teams have traditionally been close and this one was no different.

United dominated the opening exchanges and should have been ahead however the underside of the crossbar came to the rescue of Dunmurry YM in the 10th minute following great work by McMullan while their keeper produced an outstanding save from an Adam Herron thunderbolt from the edge of the penalty area that looked goal bound all the way.

The home side were playing some great football however the lack of a goal to provide that extra bit of encouragement and the absence of new striker Steven Kennedy through illness was a disappointment for the large contingent of supporters who were looking forward to his home debut.

Defensively United were well organised with Davy Boal, Ross Hayes, McCauley Foster and Adam Herron dominating however it was the visitors who breached the United goal when a forward toe poked a loose ball into the roof of the net giving Brain McMullan no chance.

In the second half, United surged forward in search of an equaliser with Hunter, Brashaw and Smyth linking very well however the Dunmurry rear-guard were in no mood to give up their lead.

The introduction of substitutes Craig Bowman and Scott McKibbin together with a change of formation gave United a significant territorial advantage with Cheever’s getting more service and the forcing a number of corners.

Smyth who is one of the smaller players on the pitch almost scored in the 70th minute when he rose to head wide under pressure however the visitors did not learn their lesson and when McMullan sent over another well placed corner Jay Smyth was in the right place to head the ball into the net.

In the closing minutes the game became very open and McMullan in the United goals had to be at his best defending a number of well-placed free kicks while at the other end Ross Hayes almost won the game for United when he climbed above the Dunmurry YM defence to head goal ward but the keeper managed to grab the ball.

This was a hard earned point for United however they fully deserved it for the quality of their play and percentage of play.

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.

Ballynahinch United 2 v 1 Dromore Amateurs

IRISH CUP – ROUND 2

United entertained near neighbours Dromore Amateurs at the Millbridge on Saturday last for the first time in a number of years in this Irish Cup 2nd Round tie.

The home team went into this game without regulars Aaron Cheevers, Ross Hayes, David Boal who were unavailable through holiday, injury and suspension respectively.

From the start the home team were on the attack and indeed maintained this for most of the game however it was Dromore who took the lead after ten minutes when their captain latched onto a loose ball from Stuart McMullan to score from some twenty five yards with a shot that sailed over keeper Brian McMullan’s head into the net.

While this stunned the home team it did not prevent them from getting into their passing game and throughout the remainder of the half they launched attack after attack with Ian McMullan, Johnny Hunter, David Kelly, Gareth Bingham and Craig Bowman all going close.

The second half resumed with United again on the attack with Johnny Hunter hitting the crossbar with a long range deflected shot.

Inside the first ten minutes United lost influential midfielder Stuart McMullan who had to leave the field with a very nasty facial injury that necessitated hospital treatment. The circumstances of the injury caused considerable upset to both team mates and the home supporters who were incensed that the referee did not see the offending punch.

When the game settled down United pressed for an equaliser and it came on the hour mark when Scott Brashaw and Johnny Hunter combined for Hunter to run onto the edge of the six yard box to score with a shot into the roof of the net.

Adam Herron who was making his first appearance of the season following injury took the place of the unfortunate Stuart McMullan and it was he who created the winning goal when he bombed forward onto a pass from Jonathan Smyth to centre the ball which was met by Ian McMullan who’s shot was deflected into the net past the despairing dive of the Dromore keeper.

The visitors pressed forward in search of an equaliser however they found the United defence of Brashaw, Patterson and JJ Carlisle in a very determined mood.

The home team introduced attacker Scott McKibbin and he stretched the Dromore defence with his strong runs.

United travel to Ardstraw this coming Saturday for an Intermediate Cup tie.

The Swifts and Albion games fell foul of the weather.

Ballynahinch United 2 v 1 Newcastle

United entertained Newcastle in a Division 1B league fixture at a very sunny Millbridge last Saturday.The two teams had met the week before at the Shimna Integrated School in what was a fairly tame scoreless affair however this one turned out to considerably livelier and with a considerable bit more controversy. United plans were somewhat upset when Ross Hayes reported with a back injury and had to drop out of the team at the last minute.

Right from the kick off the home side were on the offensive and surprisingly Newcastle seemed content to soak up the pressure with ten men behind the ball for most of the half. Their attacking opportunities were limited to breakaways by this tactic and a superbly well marshaled defence in which Brashaw, Carlisle, David Boal and Craig Bowman performed brilliantly were allowed to orchestrate many of their sides attacking moves.

Unfortunately for United they were unable to create any clear cut opportunities giving Baker in the seasiders goal a relatively quiet first half.

In the second half the early exchanges were controlled by Newcastle however they left themselves susceptible to the pace of United’s two forwards Ian McMullan and Aaron Cheevers who both missed good scoring opportunities in the first fifteen minutes of the second half.

The controversial moment of the second half and what possibly turned the game occurred on the hour mark. Ballynahinch United were awarded a free kick on the edge of their penalty area which was taken quickly by keeper Brian McMullan. The ball was launched into the Newcastle penalty area and it was chased by Ian McMullan who went for the ball in a clear 50/50 with keeper Paddy Baker. When the two players collided the ball appeared to come off McMullan’s hand and ended up in the back of the net. The referee who was well behind play did not and would not have been unable to see any hand ball infringement awarded the goal despite the protests of the Newcastle players.

This stroke of good fortune for United spurred them on and within five minutes they were 2-0 up when Ian McMullan pounced on a loose ball to score past the despairing dive of Baker.

Newcastle pressed hard to get back into the game but United held firm with Stuart McMullan, David Kelly, Scot McKibbin and Johnny Hunter working overtime in midfield to support their defence. Substitutes Smyth and late in the game Patterson played their part in securing three precious points that see United maintaining second spot in the league ahead of a run of at least two weeks when they play cup matches.

The game ended with a Newcastle player being sent off for a robust tackle on Boal and a number of booking for players for both side although the game was generally played in a good spirit.

This Saturday United entertain local rivals Dromore Amateurs who they have not played for a number of years. The Dromore team are currently playing in Division 1C  and have been on a good run of late and United certainly not be taking them lightly. The kick off is at 1.30pm.