18th Old Boys get the better of Kilroot

For the Monkstown men, in the absence of holidaying manager Garry Campbell, it was their first league victory of the season.

Kilroot, to be fair, were competitive in the opening 45 minutes, in what really was a ‘game of one half’.

New signing Craig Leworthy was troubling the Old Boys’ defence, though it was 18th who inched ahead, appropriately on 18 minutes; Lee Garrett using his pace, accelerating through to give keeper Gordon Priestly no chance.

Rec, however, cancelled that one out a minute before the break; Leworthy opening his account by lofting a Jamie Wright pass over the head of the keeper.

Six minutes after the turnaround, 18th regained their lead, with Terry Lyness profiting from some shoddy marking.

Lyness added his second and 18th’s third, waltzing through a static defence on 56 minutes, and the striker who missed an open goal in the corresponding fixture last season, completed his first-ever hat-trick for the club on the hour.

Kilroot, to their credit, were still battling away and they pegged one though a fine individual effort from Johnny McFetridge.

However, it was Newtownabbey who had the last word with the goal of the match from veteran Robbie Moore, 12 minutes from time.

Kilroot Rec: Priestly – Potts (Ward), J Smylie, Blayney, McVicker – McDonnell (Steele), Cole (Rea), McFetridge – Sands, Leworthy, J Wright.

Kilroot Rec Player in: Craig Leworthy, S.