Balnamore hit Macosquin for six

League leaders Berthas FC slipped up for the 3rd league game on the trot, going down to Hillview but the Castlerock men stay at the top due to nearest challengers Mountview’s inactively on the day.

Balnamore moved into second place after they hit Macosquin Village for six.

Hazelbank continued their good form of late with a good win at home to West Bann Athletic.

Riverside brushed aside some recent poor form to secure a comfortable victory away to Finn McCools.

FC Macosquin came from 2 goals down to pick up a point away to Dunaghy Old Boys while Ballyrashane and Brook Street battled to a draw in the bottom of the table clash at Ballysally. In the remaining fixture, Somerset scored an incredible 15 (fifteen) goals to rout Coleraine Olympic.

A Gary Millar octuple on the day putting him well clear at the top of the leader scorer’s chart.

The draw for the semi final of the Challenge Shield has been made.

Berthas will travel to meet Hillview for the 4th time this season while Somerset are at home to Ballymoney side The Taverners.

Berthas FC 1 Hillview 3

These two teams met for the second week in a row and the traveling Hillview would have been looking for quick revenge after last weeks defeat in the cup.

Berthas had a much-changed line-up with a number of key players missing due to injury and suspension while Hillview are permanently without top marksman Lee Nevin who has moved on to pastures new.

It was the home side that had the first chance of the game when Davy Campbell’s flick on found Cochrane who spotted McVey off his line but his attempted lob hit the bar. Hillview then went on to enjoy a lot of possession and took the lead after a mix-up in the Berthas defence, Johny Kirgan on hand to poke the ball into the empty net.

Hillview continued to press and Paul Friel dragged a shot wide when well placed from Mullans lay-off. Hillview nearly made it two but Gilchrist pulled off a fantastic goal line clearance for Berthas. With moments of the half left excellent play down the Berthas left found Cochrane in space but his cross was just a couple inches too high for the incoming Campbell. Berthas would have been hoping to hit straight back in the second half but Hillview had other ideas, influenced by the excellent Friel and Johnson in midfield, took control of the first 15 minutes of half, scoring two goals. First Mullan was on hand to tap the ball into the empty net after Elder had saved well from Friel before Lee Dunlop watched on as his attempted cross looped over Elder and into the back of the net to give his team a comfortable three goal lead.

Berthas then reshuffled the pack and looked a totally different team for the remainder of the game as they went on to dominate. After a couple of half chances they pulled one back when Graham skinned Gary Johnson down the right hand side before finding Cochrane who lashed the ball into the net with a 1st time strike.

Aidy Drake then had two glorious chances to bring his team on level terms. First he put a difficult half chance over the bar with the goal at his mercy and then shot wide when clean through on the keeper. David Patterson was trying his best to get his team something and after he powered through four challenges, McVey made a smart stop of keep his team 2 in front. Patterson then should have had a penalty when fouled in the box but the referee waved away the protests. More chances came for Berthas but Hillview held on to the win and picked up an excellent 3 points. Man of the Match: Paul Friel (Hillview)

Macosquin Village 1 Balnamore 6

Balnamore started this game at Ballysally at a frantic pace and put the home team under pressure from the off.

Simon Armstrong was the first player to have a site at goal when he broke down the right but dragged his shot wide. Balnamore didn’t have to wait long to get on the score sheet and a great team move saw Josie Kelly slide Madison in and as the goal keeper came out to close him down he back heeled the ball to Simon Armstrong who had the simple task of rolling into an empty net.

Almost instantly it was 2 when Blair’s ball was nodded into the path of Ryan Mooney by Madison who smashed a first time rocket in off the post. Macosquin seemed shell shocked by Balnamores blistering start and when Nicky Tweed ran from inside his own half and laid off to Armstrong who scored his second and Balnamores’ third they really had a mountain to climb.

Darren Stewart had a great chance to get them back into the game but his free header sailed wide.

Simon Armstrong then saw his header come off the bar as Balnamore threatened a fourth. A fourth goal soon arrived when McKinnon’s in swinging corner was met by Joe Connor and his header struck the bar but Ricky Blair reacted fast to smash the ball home to leave the score 4 nil at half time. The second half was a much more cagey affair with Balnamore content to hit on the break and this was how they got their fifth as Madison pounced on a loose ball and put in McKinnon who’s cut back was fired in by the impressive Simon Armstrong at the back post for his hat trick.

Macosquin then got a goal back when the hard working Darren Stewarts flick put Gavin Johnson in on goal and he finished well into the corner. Balnamore could have scored more but for poor finishing by Madison, Blair, Armstrong and Connor.

As time was running out they did get their sixth when Blair put Madison through and he beat McIntyre to the ball and rolled into an empty net for an impressive victory against a good Macosquin side. Man of the Match: Joe Connor (Balnamore)

Finn McCools 1 Riverside Athletic 4

With both teams missing players through work commitments and suspension it was the visitors who began the better, forcing the home team onto the back foot.

Despite the visitors pressure the home Finn's stood firm although with Leighton and McLean up top and McCormick and Bacon driving from midfield it seamed only a matter of time till the breakthrough came.

After several near misses that time eventually came around the half hour when McGoldrick's ball into the box was despatched first time past stand in keeper McCollum who had been doing a fine job up to that point.

The second half started with Finn's having a real go at the Riverside defence, but with Blair and Dunlop in the middle standing firm and well supported with the pace of Beattie and Kernoghan and full back, they found any openings hard to come by. Just as the visitors though they had weathered the early onslaught a mix up let Moore in to level matters.

Gareth Leighton has been on fine goalscoring form all season and his reply from a ball by Ricky Hanna fired Riverside back in front. An aduacious back heal after a mixup in the home defence gave him his hat trick and he duly rounded of a good days work with his and the visitors fourth soon after. Man of the match: Gareth Leighton (Riverside Athletic)

Hazelbank 0 West Bann Athletic 2

This turned out to be closer than the score line suggests, a well organised and superb goalkeeping kept West Bann in with a chance of taking points of Hazelbank.

Most of the first half was dominated by Hazelbank with the only the odd long range effort coming from the visitors, James Tosh was in superb form for West Bann, denying Wilson and McClarty on more than one occasion.

The best of which fell to Wilson having robbed the West Bann defenders on the half way line on one of the few chances they pushed Hazelbank back, having got clear of his marker the keeper cut down his angle and saved well parrying his shot out for a corner, a goal line clearance and Tosh again proving hard to beat this time saving from McClarty’s drive with his feet, all square at the break

The 2nd half was turning out to be similar to the first again Tosh was brilliant turning over from McClarty and showing good hands and stopping well from Wilson long range effort, a much better performance from the West Bann forwards saw Crawford having to turn over on two occasions first from McCorrison and Biggart, the dead lock was finally broken on 70 minutes, Ciaran Wilson cutting in from the left the only mistake Tosh made was to show Ciaran to much of the goal as he tried to close down the advancing sticker, Wilson made it all look to easy as he slipped it below him, barely 2 minutes later McClarty doubled the advantage and finally kill off a spirited West Bann, Stephen McCartney cross was well met by Colin out jumping the defence and heading home, this was certainly a team effort which was rewarded by this goal, McClarty King and Crawford all involved in the play, McCartney’s determination in winning the ball in midfield, with King and Crawford linking well for McCartney to collect the pass and lay on the cross. 2-0 it finished. Man of the Match: Stephen McCartney (Hazelbank)

Coleraine Olympic 0 Somerset 15

This was as the score line suggests a one sided game from start to finish.

It took Somerset 15minutes to get in front with Gary Knight scoring a right foot volley from a Gary Millar cross. A further 2 goals each from Gary Millar and Scott Fraser brought the score line to 5-0.

Ryan McLaughlin released Gary Millar who completed his 20minute hat trick after delicately scooping the ball over the keepers head. Millar added a fourth to make it a 7 – 0 lead at half time. The second half began as the first ended with Somerset on the attack. A further 3 three goals from Knight, Millar and a hat trick goal from Fraser took Somerset to double figures. Somerset went through a scoreless 20minute period with glaring misses from McLaughlin, Millar and Knight.

Coleraine Olympic found it hard to get out of their own half but should have had a goal back when Vauls went through one on one with Harkin, but the inform keeper made a world class save to deny the home team a consolation. This brought Somerset to life once again and it didn’t take long for the visitors to add to the score line.

Ryan McLaughlin slotted the ball home from inside the box to take the score line to eleven. Millar took it to unlucky 13 with his sixth and seventh of the game. Michael Murray came off the bench to make it 14 but goal of the game came from marksman Millar when he picked the ball up from outside his own box and ghosted past 3 Olympic players then rounded the keeper for his 8th of the game and 15 for Somerset. Man of the Match: Gary Millar (Somerset FC)

Ballyrashane Coronation 2 Brook Street 2

This was a big game for both sides with a massive 3 points up for grabs for 2 teams who have struggled all season. It showed in the opening exchanges, as passing was poor and chances at a premium.

It was Ballyrashane that finally got their act together and took the lead with a David Freeman penalty. They quickly got their second through a fantastic strike from distance from Ben Watt.

Brook Street slowly got back into this one but found the Ballyrashane keeper in decent form. It proved to be a tale of 2 halves as Brook Street dominated, 2 goals giving them a point on the day. Joel McDonald grabbed the second mid-way through the half. Man of the Match: Thomas Cheuk (Berthas FC)

Dunaghy Old Boys 3 FC Macosquin 3

This was a great game from the start. Dunaghy went two up courtesy of a David Murray double. David Andrews pulled one back for Macosquin before Murray completed his hat trick to give his side what looked like a winning margin. The away side had other ideas and strikes from Declan McGahon and Jackie McAfee brought them level at three goals apiece and this was how the game finished. Man of the Match: David Murray (Dunaghy Old Boys)

Fixtures for Saturday 13 Februay

Balnamore F.C v Hazelbank Fulton Park

Bertha's F.C v Dunaghy Old Boys Castlerock

Brook Street v Villagers F.C Crescent 3

F.C Macosquin v Ballyrashane Coronation F.C Ballysally 2

Mountview F.C v Coleraine Olympic Rugby Avenue 3

Somerset v Riverside Athletic Rugby Avenue 2

Taverners F.C v Macosquin Village Riada 2

West Bann Athletic v Hillview F.C Rugby Avenue 1