Campbell happy with Rathfern victory

IT’S seven points now out of the last nine in the Amateur League’s Division 1B for Rathfern Rangers. However, they are still just five points off the bottom - even after Saturday’s comfortable 3-2 victory over Ballywalter Rec at The Diamond.
By The Newsroom
Published 7th Nov 2013, 11:02 BST
Rathfern's Gary Orr and Ballywalter's Graham McKay. INLT 45-904-CONRathfern's Gary Orr and Ballywalter's Graham McKay. INLT 45-904-CON
Rathfern's Gary Orr and Ballywalter's Graham McKay. INLT 45-904-CON

As manager Bill Campbell pointed out: “It was a dominant 3-2, nowhere near as close as it sounds. Ballywalter only really had two serious attempts on goal, and both were deflected in off our players - the McMurdie cousins. Generally, it was one-way traffic the whole way. We should have been more convincing, but at least we got the three points which is the main thing!”

It was Rathfern who possessed the early fire, forcing six corners in the opening 10 minutes, the last of which was nodded in by Willie McMurdie.

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That second goal, though, never materialised and it was Rec who levelled matters on 35 minutes when, from a short corner, the ball was played to the right-back whose drive ricocheted off Craig McMurdie on its way past the helpless Ryan James.

Craig did his best to score at the right end and straight from the kick-off he was unlucky, clobbering a 30-yarder off the crossbar.

Rathfern nosed back in front five minutes after the turnaround when David Moore (inset) let fly from 25 yards.

Moore made it nine in six games three minutes later, following a neat interlink with Gary Orr at the edge of the box.

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Rangers failed to ram home their advantage and it ended up nervy enough when a free-kick on the left deflected in off Willie McMurdie for Ballywalter’s second.

Rathfern Rangers: James – Montgomery, Logan, C McMurdie – D McBride (Haddan), Marks (Boyles), W McMurdie, Kerby – McCrea (Murray) – Orr, Moore.