HUTCHINSON TILES: Taverners are spot on

Gary Millar currently leads the chase for the N&N Trophies sponsorsed Golden Boot.

The striker now closing in on a whopping 50 goals to the season. He is being closely followed by Hazelbank's Colin McClarty who has 40 plus himself for the season.

The Hutchinson Tiles League committee would like to wish Mountview player Mark Crawford a speedy recovery after the young man suffered a bad ankle injury in Saturday's game against Riverside Athletic.

Berthas FC 3,The Taverners 3 (3-5 pens)

This final started off at a frantic pace and it was Berthas who started off on the right note playing some neat football whereas the Taverners never got their passing going at all.

The opening goal came for Berthas when MacAulay's long pump up field caught the Taverners defence out and the on rushing Dallas somehow failed to deal with it and Cochrane had the simple task of tapping in.

But the Taverners pulled level against the run of play when a great cross from Robinson found Graur at the back post and his header somehow caught McCrory out to send the sides in level at half-time.

Berthas went in front when a simple flick-on from Ridgell caught two Taverners players sleeping and again it was Cochrane who advanced to hammer the ball past Dallas.

This seemed to spark Taverners into life and when Walker was fouled by David Patterson the referee had no option but to show the centre half a second yellow card.

The resulting free kick by McCurdy was only parried by McCrory to the feet of Graur and he made no mistake to make it 2-2.

More heartache for Berthas came soon after when Ridgell got dismissed for Berthas for swearing, the Taverners had a two man advantage that somehow they couldn't make count.

Incredibly Berthas went in front again when Rainey outjumped three Taverners defenders to head home Chris Patterson's long throw with just five minutes left.

But the Taverners drew level again when Graur picked up a loose ball inside the box and turned to unleash a left foot drive into the top-corner and send the match into extra time.

With no further goals the match went to penalties with both teams scoring their first three. Walker scored to put the Taverners 4-3 up and with Berthas missing it was down to Graur to hammer his penalty in to win shield for his team.

Man of the Match: Barry Greene (Berthas FC)

Dunaghy Old Boys 1 Hazelbank 5

Hazelbank opened the scoring on five minutes Steven Crawford cutting out another long throw, and set James Diver off on the attack from his clearance.

Dunaghy miss-read the bounce and Diver collected the ball and sent in a low shot which Doherty in nets couldn't deal with, a classic counter-attack.

Sheppard corner was headed on by Kelly and Colin made no mistake with an overhead kick on the edge of the six yard box to make it 2-0 on 15 minutes.

Gareth Spires got the home side back into it from a free kick from 25 yards, giving Crawford no chance.

Hazelbank turned three into four within five minutes of the restart, McLean the provider this time stretching the Dunaghy defence, his cross was met by McClarty who had time to take the touch and drill home.

Sheppard put the game well out of reach lobbing the stranded keeper from 40 yards to cap of a very busy two weeks for Hazelbank, taking maximum points from their last six games.

Man of the Match: Mark Boorman (Hazelbank)

Riverside Athletic 1 Mountview FC 0

Riverside started this game on the front foot and scored what turned out to be the winner after just ten minutes.

A long ball out of defence by McLean found Cooper who held off his marker to play in McGoldrick who calmly lifted the ball over the advancing keeper.

The hosts continued to play some pretty decent football although Mountview kept pressing and probing for openings at every opportunity with big Davy Caldwell always a threat.

As the half wore on an accidental collision between Mark Crawford and a Riverside player left the former on the ground and clearly in great discomfort. While the players awaited the arrival of an ambulance both managers agreed to call it a day with Mountview forfeiting the points.

Everyone connected to Riverside Athletic wish Mark a speedy and full recovery.

Finn McCools 1, The Villagers 1

Both teams had some chances before Rushe took his by chipping over the keeper to give the home side the lead at the break. In the second half The Villagers gradually came into the game.

They got the equaliser from a corner when their captain found space at the back post to fire home past the Finns keeper.

Man of the Match: Karl Rushe (Finn McCools)

Coleraine Oly 1, Macosquin Village 6

Macosquin deservedly took the lead after seven minutes when Chris Wade's through ball spilt the Olympic defence for Daryl Marshall to run in on goal and finish neatly past Morton in the Olympic goal.

Todd and Laverty created Macosquin's second goal, playing a neat one two, before realising Stewart who placed an inch perfect cross for Chris Wade to head home from six yards.

Macosquin's third came when Marshall picked out McDonald's near post run, which saw the midfielder glance a header into the bottom corner.

Macosquin made it 4-0 on the half hour when McDonald's surging run caused confusion in the Olympic defence for Stewart to mark another good performance with a composed finish, curling the ball into the top corner from 12 yards.

Olympic grabbed a goal back two minutes before the break, when a mistake in the Macosquin defence allowed Sweeney to run through to finish past the relatively under worked McAfee in the Macosquin goal.

Morton in the Olympic goal made some great saves, only for Marshall to make in five for Macosquin with an excellent solo goal, gliding past three Olympic defenders before placing the ball in the top left corner.

McDonald scored Macosquin's sixth and his second of the game, going on a run from just inside the Olympic half, before playing a one to with Wade on the left wing and lifting the ball over the advancing Morton.

Man of the Match: Craig McDonald (Macosquin Village)

Somerset 5, West Bann Athletic 1

It took Somerset until the 20th minute to open the scoring when a 50 yard Graeme Hannah cross field pass was instantly killed by Miller who beat two men and scored past the helpless away keeper.

In the second half Somerset hit West Bann with a sucker punch when Simon O'Kane played through Miller who once again beat the defender and flicked it over the keeper and nodded the ball in to make it 2-0.

This opened the floodgates briefly when Miller added two more to make the score line 4-0. All credit to West Bann who kept pressing by scoring a consolation goal when the ball was whipped in deep to the back post when the West Bann winger outmuscled Stephen Loughery to head the ball in.

Miller finished the scoring with goal of the match when Graham Hannah provided another excellent cross field pass to Scott Fraser who knocked the ball into Miller's path who once again lobbed it over the defender and volleyed it past the keeper.

Man of the Match: Gary Miller (Somerset FC)

Ballyrashane Coronation 3, Hillview FC 3

With twenty minutes gone Hillview scored the first goal of the game when Hutchinson headed home at the back post.

The home side drew level through Johnston who scored from a splendid strike.

On the half hour mark Ballyrashane scored again from a Glen Young strike.

The hosts then made it 3-1 when Collins and Watt combined with Freeman to create another chance at goal which Johnston converted.

Just before the break the referee awarded a highly controversial penalty to Hillview which allowed them to pull the scoreline back to 3-2.

Hillview equalised through a deflective shot late on in the second half.

Man of the Match: Aaron Tennant (Ballyrashane Coronation)

Brook Street 2 FC Macosquin 0

No match report received

Fixtures

Wednesday, May 5, 7pm: Dunaghy Old Boys v West Bann Athletic (Dunaghy); Somerset v Riverside Athletic (Crescent 3); Taverners F.C v Hillview F.C (Riada 2).

Thursday, May 5, 7pm: Macosquin Village v Bertha's F.C (Ballysally 2); Villagers F.C v Mountview F.C (Castlerock).

Saturday, May 10, 11am: Bertha's F.C v Taverners F.C (Castlerock); Brook Street v Hazelbank (Crescent 3); F.C Macosquin v Macosquin Village (Ballysally 2); Finn McCool's v Ballyrashane Coronation F.C (Bushmills); Mountview F.C v Hillview F.C (Rugby Avenue 3); Riverside Athletic v Villagers F.C (Fulton Park); Somerset v Dunaghy Old Boys (Rugby Avenue 2); West Bann Athletic v Balnamore F.C (Rugby Avenue 1).