Tag: 1sts

Match Report: Ballynahinch United 4 v 0 Hollywood F.C.

United entertained the relegation threatened Hollywood F.C. in this league encounter and they secured all three points with a battling performance.

The first half was generally poor with United having the lion share of the play however they could not find the elusive first goal despite laying siege to the Hollywood goal mouth. United midfield of Carlisle, Brashaw, Ian Boal, Cheevers and Herron worked tirelessly reducing the visitors to occasional breakaways but despite a number of surges forward they never really troubled Brian McMullan in the home goal.

Despite what was a frustrating first half it was United who went ahead on the stroke of half time thanks to the persistence of Ian McMullan who chased a back pass charging down the keeper’s clearance which cannoned off his body into the net.

In the early stages of the second half the visitors pegged United back with Hayes, Davy Boal and Herron, who dropped back into defence for Stuart McMullan who took a knock late in the first half and was replaced at half time by Lee Maxwell.

Having repelled Hollywood’s early dominance United started to get back into the game and they increased their lead on the hour mark when a shot from Ian Boal was parried by the visiting keeper and as the alert Maxwell pounced on the loose ball he was brought down and referee Hazzard gave a penalty. Up stepped Aaron Cheevers to fire the ball into the net. Ten minutes later United had the game wrapped up when Lee Maxwell ran in on goal and passed the ball under the advancing keeper and into the net.

United penned Hollywood into their own half and following some excellent passing exchanges on the right wing Cheevers chipped the ball into the penalty area and Ian McMullan rose high to glance the ball into the net to make the score 4-0.

Next week United travel to Newtownards to take on 1st Bangor Old Boys.

Grove United 0 v 2 Ballynahinch United

United travelled to the Shore Road, Belfast on Saturday for this league encounter with Grove United – a team who they have not played for a number of years. A strong wind blowing across the pitch made play difficult throughout, however United coped with the conditions much better than they had expected.

The game was end to end throughout with plenty of chances being created by both teams however United’s defence of Hayes, Carlisle and Stuart McMullan provided excellent cover to keeper Brian McMullan.

United opened the scoring on 20 minutes when Johnny Gibson scored a thirty yard screamer of a free kick which gave the Grove keeper no chance. United were very much in the ascendency at this stage with their midfield of Crawford, Ian Boal, Brashaw and Cheevers creating opening for the runs of Gibson and Jackson.

On the half hour mark Ian Boal had a penalty brilliantly saved by the Grove keeper after Gibson had been upended.

The second half followed a similar pattern to the first however the slender 1 goal lead never seemed like it would be enough but the introduction of Ian McMullan, Greg Allison and Lee Maxwell gave United a fresh impetus and they were able to get the upper hand with a good finish from Ian McMullan.

United entertain Grove United at Millbridge this Saturday with a 2.00pm kick off.

Ballynahinch United 2 v 1 Drumaness Mills

United entertained their near neighbours Drumaness Mills in this 1st Round Coca Cola Intermediate Cup tie at the Millbridge last Saturday. The weather twenty four hours before had been horrendous and when the pitch was inspected on Friday evening those who did considered it unplayable however by Saturday morning the good work that grounds man Jimmy Brown and his helpers had done during the summer bore fruit and it was game on. Unfortunately for the large number of supporters who turned up to encourage both teams on the rain started just before kick-off however to a man, women and child they stayed with it.

Drumaness Mills started the game with a strong wind in their backs and they dominated the early play winning a succession of corners however they failed to trouble a resolute United defence in which Davy Boal, Scott Brashaw, Ross Hayes and JJ Carlisle were in excellent form. United on the other hand had their attacking options restricted to breakaways and on several occasions the strong running of Simon Jackson and Johnny Gibson caused the Mills defence quite a few problems.

The Mills took the lead on the half hour mark when Davy Boal mistimed a challenge inside the penalty area and from the spot ace marksman Nathan Jones beat goal keeper Brian McMullan but only just.

The weather was deteriorating as the game went into the final fifteen minutes of the half however United seemed to increase in tempo and Jackson brought an outstanding save from the Mills keeper who seemed to injury himself in doing so. Minutes later and United were level when the Mills keeper flapped at a cross and when the ball broke free Ian Boal smashed the ball goal ward and it went in off a defender.

In the second half Drumaness Mills despite a stiff breeze in their faces played some neat football and United’s midfield of Aaron Cheevers, Ian Boal, Gavin Crawford and Ian McMullan had a lot of work to do to keep them at bay.

United were always a danger on the break and Lee Maxwell who had not been scoring with the same regularity of late arrived on the scene at the right time to rifle home the winner.

In the closing moments of the game United had two players dismissed by the referee with one the victim of a blatant head butt which everyone but the referee witnessed.  He did however see the victim try to protect himself from any further assault which was sufficient to warrant him receiving a red card.

A very disappointing end to a game that was generally played in a sporting manner and particularly so for the home team who prevailed against a strong and experienced Drumaness Mills team who are riding high in the NAFL Premier League.

Congratulations to the supporters from both teams who turned out in atrocious conditions and gave their team’s tremendous support.

This week United travel to Hollywood F.C in the league.

Sirocco Works 1 v 1 Ballynahinch United

United travelled to New Grosvenor last Saturday for this league encounter with Sirocco Works. It was the visitors who were out of the traps first and very quickly took command of the game and probably should have been two or three up by half time.

United’s early forays into the Sirocco penalty area were generally through the efforts of Johnny Gibson on the left wing and it was Gibson in the 10th minute who gave them the lead when he latched onto a through ball from Scott Brashaw to lift the ball over the advancing keeper and into the net.

Sirocco were having difficulty keeping pace with United’s excellent first time passing and after 20 minutes Aaron Cheevers should have doubled their lead when he ran through but he hit his shot over the cross bar.

As the first half went into its closing quarter the home side created a few scoring chances requiring goalkeeper Brian McMullan to make several fingertip saves.

In the second half there was a transformation in the Sirocco line up and they forced United onto the defensive. The defence of Hayes, Brashaw and Davy Boal required support from Stuart McMullan and JJ Carlisle and generally they were able to cope with what was thrown at them. Sirocco did have the ball in the net on 55 minutes but it was correctly ruled off side.

Ian Boal and Gavin Crawford in central midfield were unable to get the same control of the ball they had in the first half to give forwards Ian McMullan and Johnny Gibson any openings.

Lee Maxwell was introduced to the action on the hour mark and later David Kelly came into the fray and it looked as if United would hold on to their lead. Indeed they should have doubled the score after 75 minutes when quick thinking from Ian McMullan gave Ian Boal a chance but he skied his shot over the cross bar.

That missed opportunity proved very costly as things turned out because United conceded a penalty in the 80th minute when Hayes was very harshly adjudged to have pushed an attacker and Brian McMullan was unable to get near the resulting spot kick.

The closing ten minutes of the game were feisty to say the least and the referee failed to get a grip on some off the ball incidents which could and should have led to red cards. Indeed it appeared to be United players who found themselves in the referee’s notebook.

This week United entertain highflying neighbours Drumaness Mills in the first round of the Intermediate Cup at The Millbridge. The kick-off is at 1.30pm and a big attendance is anticipated. Due to a reduction in the available parking space at the Millbridge spectators are requested to get their early.

Irish Cup: Ballynahinch United 0 v 1 Sirocco Works

United entertained Sirocco Works in this second round Irish Cup tie and went down by a single goal following a fairly dour encounter in which both teams created few scoring opportunities. Long periods of play were centred on the middle of the park with both defences coping with whatever was thrown at them. United had Simon Jackson back up front and Gavin Crawford restored to the centre of midfield.

United’s best chance of the first half came following a shot from Jackson which was superbly saved by the Sirocco keeper while Brain McMullan in the home goal got his fingers to a shot which he managed to get over the bar.

Sirocco took the lead in the 40th minute from a free kick after a foul by Davy Boal. The kick from near the by-line evaded Brian McMullan and seemed to go into the net of a forward who would have known little about it.

In the second half United pressed forward but they were unable to create any real openings. In the closing stages of the game Ian Boal was set free on the right side of the penalty area and as the Sirocco keeper ran out to block his path he clipped to ball goal ward. The home crowd were ready to cheer as the effort looked for all in the world to be going into the net but it bounced agonisingly wide of the post and into the side netting.

This week United travel to play Sirocco in a league game at Ballyskeagh.