Cup run continues for Ballymacash Rangers as they beat Holywood

They did so by securing a 4-1 victory in a trip to Amateur League side Holywood, who are sitting top of 1C and have only suffered one league defeat all campaign.

Forsythe had made five changes from the previous game, which had been quite a consistent trend for Ballymacash this season in the Intermediate Cup, with Forsythe using the competition to allow the squad to get a full workout across the opening three rounds.

It was the home team who started better, with the Co Down men seeing an opportunity to secure a cup upset by knocking out the higher ranked side in Ballymacash.

A great whipped ball into the box saw Fuseini head Holywood into an early lead.

Ballymacash grew into the game with the home side still full of running. A diagonal ball towards the edge of the box was headed away only as far as Dylan Davidson, and the Ballymacash winger hit a fantastic shot giving the Holywood goalkeeper no chance, as the ball nestled in the far corner of his goal.

After what it was a tight enough first half, Ballymacash certainly had their quality shine through in the second half.

A great header from captain Jordan Morrison gave the visitors the lead for the first time in the match before Dylan Davidson was fouled in the area which allowed Brendan Bennett to give the Lisburn side some breathing space in the score-line.

Holywood worked hard to try and carve their way back into the game and forced Ryan Walsh into a couple of decent saves before Justin Armstrong continued his impressive season by scoring from range to give Ballymacash their fourth goal and kill off hope of a Holywood comeback.

It was a good day overall for Ballymacash, with a resounding set of results for both the Reserves and the Swifts.

Stevie Houston’s Reserve side won 6-0 at Rathfriland, with thanks to a five-goal haul from Josh McKee.

The Swifts also had a high scoring win, beating Annalong 5-0 and the goals in that game came from Campbell (2), Johnson, Finlay and Johnston.

The Lisburn club will have a keen eye on the draw for the last-16 of the Intermediate Cup, but will also have an eye on their next fixture, which is a league game at home to Valley Rangers on Saturday 29th January.