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.

Match Report: Newcastle F.C. 0 v 2 Ballynahinch United

Shimna College, Newcastle was the setting for this league encounter between these two County Down NAFL Division 1B rivals. As the season end approaches each of the two teams had different agendas, the home team needing a win to secure vital points in their quest for promotion whilst the visitors needed the security of at least one point to avoid being dragged into the relegation dog fight. The Seasiders will not have underestimated their opponents however as they had only lost once in their previous twelve games and have one of the best defensive records in the division. Both teams fielded without key players with Newcastle missing Phillip Bonny to injury while United were without Dalton Tate for a similar reason.

The visitors had the advantage of a strong wind in the first half and they enjoyed considerable periods of pressure whilst defensively their back four of Miller, Majury, Hayes and Brashaw coped well with the home attack in which Matt Smyth and Conor Gribben were prominent.

United main attacking threat was through Stuart Hunter whose mazy runs caused lots of problems and his link up play with Matthew Shaw and Aaron Cheevers was a constant problem for the Newcastle backline of Holland, Allister, McCarthy and Fitzsimons.

In the 34th minute Hunter weaved his way through the Newcastle penalty area and was upended by McCarthy and the referee awarded a spot kick which was despatched by Alex Millar despite the efforts of Wayne Lennon in the Seasiders goal.

As half time approached a long ball out of the United midfield was latched onto by Gavin Crawford, who had been the victim of some rather harsh treatment prior to the taking of the penalty, and his headed pass fell into the path of Matthew Shaw who shot past the advancing Lennon to make it 2-0. It is possible that Shaw was in an offside position but the move was so swift that the referee could not have been close enough to get a clear view either way.

The United midfield of Carberry, Wilson, Crawford and Hunter were dominant in the closing minutes of the half with Shaw and Cheever’s movement causing all kinds of problems and it took several quality saves from Lennon to keep them out.

As expected Newcastle came out in the second half with great purpose and with the wind in their backs their intentions were clear as Travers, Moone, Collins and Gribben chased every ball in an effort to get decent service to their forwards however the United defence was resolute.

The more Newcastle pressed the more vulnerable they were at the back giving the visitors occasional openings and how the referee didn’t give a penalty when Hunter was tripped in the 50th minute will remain a mystery.

Bryan McMullan in the United goals had very little to do in the first half but in the second half he made several excellent saves and dominated his penalty area as corner after corner or free kick was launched from every conceivable angle however aided and abetted by Hayes, Majury, Miller and Brashaw allied to a willing midfield they stood strong.

The introduction of Newcastle substitutes Tim Sexton and Ciaran Brannigan gained them more and more possession and it was Brannigan who almost scored in the 80th minute when he stole in on the right wing and was unlucky to see his shot cannon of the far post for a goal kick.

United manager Keith Hamilton introduced David Kelly to the midfield and cousins Gareth and Ian McMullan to the forward line and all three could have scored with Kelly heading onto the crossbar and both Gareth and Ian missing decent chances when put clear on goal.

This was an excellent game with both teams playing their part however United were worthy winners and a team resolute to ensure that they would not throw away the 2-0 they had worked so hard to gain in a replica of what happened at Millbridge in August in the reverse fixture.

Match Report: Ballynahinch United 1 v 1 Bloomfield

United got back to Millbridge on Saturday past after several postponements for a league fixture against Bloomfield. The visitors although one point above United have played seven more games and a win for them was vital whilst the home side needed to ensure that they got something out of the game to avoid getting drawn into the relegation dog fight.

The home side fielded without four absentees from the previous week namely, Ian McMullan and Ross Hayes [suspended] David Kelly [family illness] and Stuart McMullan [wrist injury] and they were replaced in the match day squad by Greg Allison, Johnny Stevenson, Alex Miller and Dee Stewart.

It was the visitors who started the brightest whilst United were taking a little time to settle and Bloomfield capitalised on this to take the lead in the 5th minute.

United bounced back and launched a series of attacks on the Bloomfield rear-guard with Dee Stewart and Matty Shaw going close. United’s midfield of Aaron Cheevers, Ben Wilson, Stu art Hunter and Dylan Carberry worked tirelessly both in defence and attack creating a number of openings. Their efforts lead to United equaliser when Shaw was pulled back just outside the penalty area and Ethan Majury  fired in a dipping free kick which found its way into the net under the goal keepers body.

Defensively the much changed line-up of Gavin Crawford, Dalton Tate, Scott Brashaw and Ethan Majury settled well and except for one scare in the closing minutes when Brashaw had to head off the line they ensured that Brian McMullan in the United goal had a fairly easy day.

In the second half United had the best of the chances with Shaw and Hunter going close with long range shots and Crawford going agonisingly close from close range following a great left wing cross from Alex Miller. Johnny Stevenson and Greg Allison can on for the last quarter to change the United attack but the visitors fought feverously to ensure that they at least held on to a point which in the end was probably no more than either side deserved.

This week United travel to Dundonald for a league game against Donard Hospital another side that are in the relegation zone.