Match Report: Ballynahinch United 0 v 1 Rosario YC

A goal midway through the second half of this game was enough to give the visitors the points however the home team played very well throughout and had they taken one of the few chances they made in the first half they may well have taken a point.

Throughout the first half both teams had a few chances but it was the defences who were in command. United who had conceded quite a few goals in recent matches certainly tightened up with debutant teenager Jack Davis at right back along with Paul Dickson, Ethan Majury and Stuart McMullan. Brian McMullan was in commanding form in goals and his distribution created quite a few opportunities the best of which fell to Scott Brashaw who couldn’t get enough power into his shot. Ethan Majury went close with a free kick in the closing minutes of the first half.

In the second half Rosario who are a useful team with their eyes on promotion came more into the game and they created the one goal scoring opportunity with a slick move which saw their forward glide onto a super pass to thread the ball past Brian McMullan into the net. In midfield Dalton Tate was prominent along with Stuart Hunter, Dylan Carberry, Scott Brashaw while Aaron Cheevers and Ian McMullan worked tirelessly up front. Substitutes David Kelly, Greg Allison and Alex Miller came on in the closing quarter and gave the Rosario defence some anxious moments but failed to make the crucial breakthrough.

Pre-Season Friendly Match Report: Ballynahinch United 5 – 2 Bloomfield

Ballynahinch United played Bloomfield on Saturday in an entertaining fixture. In the starting line up we had 16 year olds Alex Burtney and Jack Davis and manager Keith Hamilton can only be delighted with their contribution.

We got off to a terrible start when we conceded with a ball over the top in the opening minutes that was well finished by the visiting forward.

From that moment on United took control and started to play some free flowing football, driven on by the impressive partnership of Kennedy and Tate, who bossed the game all day long. It was 1-1 when Cheevers got on the end of a flowing move to finish well. United took the lead a few minutes later when the impressive Cheevers doubled his tally from a Kelly cross.

The second half started with the introduction of 17 year old Scott Cheevers who had a very impressive debut linking beautifully with brother Aaron to keep the visiting defence on edge. It wasn’t long until Aaron completed his hat-trick with a neat finish.

It was 4-1 to United midway through the second half when a lovely move fell into the stride of Jordan Kennedy, who took 2 touches and rifled the ball past the keeper from the edge of the box.

The 5th goal came from another 16 year old when Craig Tate took the ball down and beat the keeper impressively.

One of the highlights of the day was when Adam Herron made his comeback from injury after over a year out and he looked like he was never away.

With 8 first team regulars missing Keith Hamilton will have plenty of choices to make before the season starts.

Pre-Season Friendly Match Report: Ballynahinch United 3 – 0 Moneyslane

Ballynahinch United got their preseason underway with a friendly against Mid-Ulster side Moneyslane at Millbridge last Saturday. Manager Keith Hamilton was missing a number of first team squad members, however it gave him the chance to give some of the youth team an opportunity to show what they can do and when the chance came they most certainly did.

The home side were on top for most of the first half with David Kelly running the midfield aided and abetted by Alex Miller, Gavin Crawford, Jordan Kennedy and Stuart Hunter.

Moneyslane came more into the game in the latter stages of the first half and early part of the second and defensively Greg Allison, Ross Hayes, Ethan Majury and Scot Brashaw were in commanding form while goalkeeper Brian McMullan came to the rescue on several occasions. Aaron Cheevers played up front on his own and his hold up play and distribution was excellent throughout.

United took the lead in the 30th minute when a bit of quick thinking by Cheevers led to a free kick being taken quickly for Kelly to lash it home past the visiting keeper.

During the second half four youth team players – Craig Tate, Alex Burtney, Ben Ohnuo and Jack Davis were introduced into the team and as they have been training with the seniors since late June they didn’t look one bit out of place. It was during the latter stages of the game that United increased their lead with two goals from Cheevers and Kennedy. In the 75th minute Aaron Cheevers latched onto a through ball and fired an unstoppable shot into the net while in the 85th minute Jordan Kennedy stepped up to score from the penalty spot.

This was a great start to the season however a lot of hard work has still to be done in preparation for the seasons start on 13th August at home to Wellington Rec. in the Steel & Sons Cup.

Training sessions continue each Tuesday and Thursday evening at the Millbridge and new players will be made very welcome.

Next Saturday afternoon [23rd July] United will entertain Bloomfield at the Millbridge.

Match Report: Ballynahinch United 2 v 0 UUJ

United entertained relegation strugglers at the Millbridge on Saturday afternoon and despite an unconvincing performance they came away with a 2-0 victory.

For most of the first half the initiative was taken by UUJ who had a number of experienced players in their line-up and it took a disciplined performance in defence from Crawford, Hayes, Majury and Brashaw to keep them out. As the first half progressed United’s midfield of Kelly, Hunter, Wilson and Carberry managed to get more possession which in turn gave Ian McMullan and Matthew Shaw a few half chances with McMullan going close with a spectacular overhead kick. Matthew Shaw who has been in excellent form gave United the lead on the half hour mark when he took a pass from Hunter on the left hand side of the penalty area before placing his past the advancing goalkeeper into the net.

In the second half it was fairly well more of the same with UUJ pressing and United not really firing on all cylinders however Shaw gave the home team breathing space with a superb second goal. Good work on the right from Gavin Crawford saw the ball crossed over to the left hand side of the penalty area and he despatched the ball into the goal with a strong left foot shot that gave the UUJ keeper no chance. Alex Miller and Dee Stewart entered the fray for the last third of the match and they worked hard all over the pitch to maintain United’s grip on the three points. Goalkeeper Bryan McMullan who had a generally quiet afternoon was called into action late in the game producing a number of outstanding saves to ensure a clean sheet and United’s steady climb up the league table.

 

Match Report: Ballynahinch United 3 v 1 Wellington Rec

Hunter double as United humble another of the Division 1B promotion chasers

United entertained promotion contenders Wellington Rec. at the Millbridge last Tuesday [26th April] as they continued their programme of end of season fixtures which has seen them show their very best form. On the previous Saturday United had dented the promotion hopes of Newcastle and there was a good representation of their supporters to see how this game would go. Fielding the same side that won at Newcastle Keith Hamilton’s side started brightly and took the lead on 15 minutes when Stuart Hunter crossed for Dylan Carberry to head home.

Carberry was on the scoresheet again after half hour mark however it was for the opposition when he was unlucky enough to see a defensive clearance ricochet of his shin and into the net leaving McMullan helpless.

Just before half time good build up on the left wing involving Cheevers, Brashaw and Hunter saw the latter thread a pass toward the on running Shaw which he could not reach however the Wellington goal keeper and a defender failed to deal with it and the ball found the corner of the net.

Wellington were a very experienced team and had United had been under a fair degree of pressure up to this point and in the second half they came out with a more direct game which made United more dangerous on the break. Dalton Tate made his return to the team after injury in the 60th minute and his impact was immediate. Some great passing between Millar, Crawford and Shaw led to Tate weaving his way through the Wellington penalty area. He passed to Hunter who dispatched the ball into the net to give the home team a 3-1 lead.

Wellington for all their efforts couldn’t breach United’s defence of Miller, Majury, Hayes and Brashaw backed up by Bryan McMullan’s excellent handling which provided the rock on which this victory was achieved supported in no small measure by an industrious midfield of Hunter, Wilson, Carberry and Crawford.

Matthew Shaw, Aaron Cheevers and second half replacement Ian McMullan worked tirelessly with their movement playing a massive contribution to what was another top class performance.