Bottom of the league Ballynure shock FC Larne

FC Larne 0Ballynure OB 'B' 3

WITH the seniors having no game Ballynure OB 'B', who sit bottom of the Ballymena Junior Division One, took the opportunity to grab the headlines with a rare win.

FC Larne provided the opposition at Sandy Bay, where Angus Henry's lads recorded a convincing 3-0 win.

Throughout this clash the 'Nure lads, with Johnny Gracey dominant in midfield were in control, and in the opening quarter a Gracey cross found Henry McWilliams, whose header crashed against the bar with the keeper well beaten.

Moments later striker Mark Campbell got in behind the Larne defence, but was thwarted by the home goalie in a one-against-one confrontation.

After half an hour the visitors got the score that their approach play deserved, when left-sided midfielder Gerry Mullan left three opponents in his wake in a dash from halfway, before drilling the ball in to the bottom corner of the net.

Larne's response was immediate and only the agility of goalkeeper James Proctor prevented an equaliser, when he finger-tipped the ball round the base of the upright.

The home side found it difficult to get out of their own territory and eventually they conceded a second score, when Gracey doubled the lead direct from a corner.

After the interval Ballynure continued to have the upperhand, with Alan Dew, Kyle Agnew and Campbell testing the keeper, before Campbell got his name on the scorecard when he beat the offside trap and completed the scoring.

Stuart Murray and Darren Guy stood out in the Ballynure defence, but the undisputed Man of the Match was Gracey who impressed throughout in his central midfield role.

Ballynure OB II: Proctor; Dew, Murray, Guy, Chambers; Agnew, Gracey, McWilliams, Mullan; Higgins, Campbell. Subs: Thompson, Harvey.

Robert Reid's senior side was scheduled to entertain Portglenone on Saturday afternoon, but the Premier League strugglers were unable to field a team and conceded the points that keep Ballynure in the top five.

Ballynure OB first team face Intermediate league leaders Raceview at Mossley on Wednesday.

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