For Jonny Smith and Ballynahinch United, August was always going to be a difficult opening chapter with three of the first four fixtures against sides expected to challenge for promotion.
What followed was a month that proved every bit as demanding as anticipated.
Ballynahinch United 1 – 6 Shorts
Saturday 1 August
The season opened at The Millbridge against Shorts, and United found themselves behind early on. They responded well, though, with Ian McMullan rising highest to glance Jordan Bailie’s free-kick into the bottom corner and bring the scores level.
Shorts soon regained control and added three more goals before the interval. Ballynahinch improved after the break and showed more attacking intent, although debutant Rory Bell was forced off with an ankle injury. Two further goals from the visitors completed the scoring.
The final result was a difficult introduction to the campaign, but Edan Reid, David Clyde, Jordan Bailie, Rory Bell and Charlie Mackin made their debut appearances for the club.
Line up
Michael Vladeanu
Charlie Parkinson
Edan Reid
Scott Brashaw [C]
Jonathan Smith
David Clyde
Jordan Bailie
Ian McMullan
David Corrie
Rory Bell (Diarmuid Lavery) (Ryan Rooney)
Leo Elliott (Charlie Mackin)
Castlewellan Town 8 – 2 Ballynahinch United
Thursday 6 August
There was little time to recover before United travelled to another of the league’s promotion favourites.
Castlewellan made their superiority count from the outset, scoring three times inside the opening ten minutes. By half-time the deficit had grown to five, leaving Ballynahinch with an almost impossible task.
The second half was more encouraging. Diarmuid Lavery pulled one back and Jordan Bailie later added a second for United, although Castlewellan continued to find openings and eventually finished with eight.
The result meant United had suffered two heavy defeats from their opening two fixtures.
Line up
Michael Vladeanu
Charlie Parkinson
Ethan Perkins (Ryan Rooney)
Jonathan Smith
Edan Reid
David Clyde
Jordan Bailie
Ian McMullan [C]
David Corrie
Diarmuid Lavery
Leo Elliott (Matthew Douglas)
Unused sub: Gareth Bingham
Portavogie Rangers 5 – 1 Ballynahinch United
Saturday 8 August
A depleted squad then made the journey to Portavogie, where the familiar problem of conceding early struck again.
This time, however, United’s response was immediate. David Corrie’s clever reverse pass released Jordan Bailie, who finished confidently to make it 1–1. An injury to Callum Greene disrupted Ballynahinch’s plans, but they remained competitive and reached half-time level.
United started the second period positively and looked capable of taking something from the game. Portavogie eventually found the breakthrough before the hour, however, and once the hosts had regained the lead, two further goals followed in quick succession. A fifth arrived late on, producing a scoreline that was perhaps harsher than the overall contest had suggested.
Line up
Michael Vladeanu
Charlie Parkinson
Ethan Perkins
Callum Greene (Gareth Bingham)
Edan Reid (Stephen McNair)
Ben Wilson
Jordan Bailie
Ian McMullan [C]
David Corrie
Diarmuid Lavery (Keith Hamilton) Jonathan Smith
Ballynahinch United 2 – 8 Bloomfield
Thursday 13 August
The promotion contenders continued to arrive at The Millbridge, with Bloomfield the latest visitors.
They established a two-goal advantage before substitute and debutant Kian Connolly’s pressure forced an error, allowing David Corrie to reduce the deficit. Bloomfield restored their cushion, but the game then produced one of its key moments when Ian McMullan was fouled just outside the area while through on goal. The resulting dismissal reduced Bloomfield to ten men.
Ballynahinch were unable to make the numerical advantage count. The free-kick was saved, while appeals for a penalty after Corrie reached the ball ahead of the goalkeeper were also rejected. Bloomfield added another before the interval and extended their advantage further after the restart.
Michael Vladeanu did his best to keep United in the contest, including saving a penalty, but there was little he could do to prevent Bloomfield from reaching eight.
Bailie scored his third of the season from the spot, although by then the outcome was beyond doubt.
Line up
Michael Vladeanu
Charlie Parkinson
Alan Dickson
Scott Brashaw [C]
Edan Reid (Ethan Perkins)
David Clyde (Ryan Rooney)
Ben Wilson
Jordan Bailie
Ian McMullan
David Corrie
Diarmuid Lavery (Kian Connolly).
Grove United 5 – 3 Ballynahinch United
Saturday 15 August
The trip to Sand Siro represented a different kind of challenge. With both clubs struggling at the bottom of the table, this was a fixture in which Ballynahinch needed to turn promising performances into points.
They made the ideal start when Jordan Bailie produced a well-struck finish to put United ahead. The visitors defended their lead through the remainder of the first half, but Grove equalised shortly after the restart.
Ballynahinch responded impressively. Bailie scored his second of the afternoon before David Corrie extended the advantage to 3–1, putting United in a commanding position.
The game then swung dramatically. Grove’s changes proved effective and the hosts scored four times without reply. To make matters worse, Charlie Parkinson was dismissed for a second yellow card as Ballynahinch’s hopes of taking something from the game disappeared.
It was a particularly frustrating defeat given that United had led by two goals.
Line up
Michael Vladeanu
Charlie Parkinson
Edan Reid (Ethan Perkins)
Scott Brashaw [C]
Jonathan Smith
Ian McMullan
Jordan Bailie
David Clyde
David Corrie
Glenn Bennett (Callum Greene)
Roy Shilliday
Unused sub: Ryan Rooney
Ballynahinch United 1 – 5 Ballywalter Rec
Thursday 20 August
Another important fixture followed at The Millbridge when fellow strugglers Ballywalter Rec came to town.
Despite having seven or more players unavailable, United took the lead. Bailie curled a free-kick into the net to give Ballynahinch the lead, but Ballywalter, who had yet to score this season, gradually turned the game around and went into the interval 2–1 ahead.
It was the away side who produced in the second half with two more goals before the situation deteriorated further after 80 minutes when Will McNeill was sent off following a strong tackle which resulted in a penalty. The spot-kick was missed, giving United a brief reprieve, but Ballywalter continued to apply pressure and eventually added another before full time.
Line up
Michael Vladeanu
Ryan Rooney (Leo Elliott)
Alan Dickson
Scott Brashaw [C]
Jonathan Smith
Will McNeill
Jordan Bailie
David Clyde (Gareth Bingham)
David Corrie
Kian Connolly
Matthew Douglas (Callum Greene)
Portaferry Rovers 8 – 0 Ballynahinch United
Saturday 29 August
Ballynahinch travelled to face relegated Portaferry Rovers in the final fixture of the month.
The afternoon began badly before a ball had even been kicked, with assistant coach Sam Lockhart announcing his decision to resign from his role on Thursday evening. Matters on the pitch soon became equally difficult as Portaferry established a two-goal lead inside the opening ten minutes.
Ethan Perkins was forced off midway through the first half after a freak incident displaced his braces, and, by the beginning of the second period, United had already used all of their substitutes with the score at 4–0. The changes could not alter the course of the game, and Portaferry added another four goals after the interval.
Line up
Michael Vladeanu
Charlie Parkinson
Edan Reid (Keith Hamilton)
Scott Brashaw [C]
Greg Blunt
David Clyde
Leo Elliott
Ethan Perkins (Gareth Bingham)
Matthew Douglas
David Corrie (Glenn Bennett)
Kian Connolly
The following afternoon offered a welcome change from the competitive pressure of the previous weeks as The Millbridge hosted the annual charity exhibition match between Ballynahinch United and the Glentoran Legends, organised alongside the Ballynahinch Glens Supporters Club.
This year’s event supported Players with Dementia, with more than £750 donated on the day. Away from league tables and results, it was a reminder of the role the football club plays within its wider community.
By the end of August, the numbers made uncomfortable reading. Ballynahinch had played seven matches and lost them all, conceding heavily against the promotion contenders and then suffering damaging defeats in the fixtures that had offered their best opportunities to collect points.
On 31 August, Ballynahinch United decided that a change was necessary and relieved Jonny Smith of his duties as First Team Manager but wish him all the best in the future.
With a long season still ahead, Ballynahinch now have the opportunity to start again.
September will bring a new chapter, and with it the chance to change the direction of the season.