Defeat in club’s last home game

The homesters had produced the early pressure and forced four corners without success. Allen was inches over with Annagh’s first real effort after 10 minutes.

Three minutes later Paul Walsh unleased a fierce drive across goal but no one was on hand and the chance went abegging. A swift Annagh attack left winger Murphy clear on goal but the advancing Morley-Hillen forced the former to fire into the side netting. On 22 minutes Annagh ‘keeper Vogan came to his side’s rescue when he held a flicked Steven O’Neill header following a long ball from Conor Downey. Soon after Vogan spilled an O’Neill drive but Timmy Grant uncharacteristically blasted the rebound over from close in.

After 28 minutes it was 1-0 to the visitors when Gardiner lobbed over Morley-Hillen and into the roof of the net following a corner.

Banbridge were fortunate not to go further behind seconds later when Annagh No. 9 Harrison crashed a headed off the crossbar.

On 42 minutes Town were on level terms thanks to their most dangerous forward on the night Steven O’Neill who raced fully 40 yards before placing his shot well out of the Annagh keeper’s reach.

Town pushed forward in the second half with several promising moves going through the ever busy Timmy Grant but they could not breach the Annagh rearguard. Morley-Hillen saved at Harrison’s feet after 64 minutes and shortly after Barry Tumilty headed over from a Gourley corner.

Gourley shot well over after latching on to a clearance on 85 minutes and it seemed odds on that the game would end in stalemate although Town were still going for a winner when tragedy struck on 92 minutes! A long clearance from Annagh out of their own half was latched onto by the unmarked Harrison who raced through to lob over the advancing Morley-Hillen and break Banbridge hearts!

TEAMS: Banbridge Town: Nathan Morley-Hillen, Mattie McCartan, Stuart Thompson, Neil Alderdice, Neil King, Barry Tumilty, Conor Downey, Chris McGrath, Timmy Grant, Steven O’Neill, Paul Walsh. Subs: Ryan Gourley (for Downey 45mins.), Michael Ferguson (for McCartan 72 mins.), Aaron Cobb (for Walsh 85 mins.).