Dismal run continues for AFC

Broomhedge 3

AFC are still waiting for their first win after another disappointing 3-1 defeat.

Buoyed from a positive performance last week AFC, came into this game with renewed hope. This was further enhanced with the return of Neill Brown to the heart of the AFC defence.

Things couldn’t have started much better for them either. AFC were pressing high up the pitch and it was working as Sean McKay closed down the visiting goalkeeper, whose clearance rebounded off the AFC forward and found its way into the net. 1-0 AFC.

This was the perfect opportunity for the hosts to really get a grip on the game. Or so it would have seemed to the idle spectator. Straight from Broomhedge taking centre, the ball was played up to the visiting forward. A first time volley from just inside the box saw the ball nestle into the bottom corner. Back to square one for AFC.

Building on this, Broomhedge pushed forward, however the most notable chance fell to AFC’s Kyle Mallaghan, when the ball dropped for him with only the keeper to beat. He tried to place it and was denied.

Within five minutes of the restart, AFC were 2-1 down, as a speculative effort from distance beat Mark Goan in the Banbridge nets. It looked like AFC might get back into the game as they continued to press, but they looked nervous in front of goal, always just seeming to overplay the ball instead of taking a strike at goal. The visitors grabbed a third to clinch the game before Sean McKay struck the crossbar with a long-range effort for the hosts.

A disappointed Anthony Blackburn summed up a lacklustre Banbridge AFC performance.

“The lads just didn’t seem to have any fight in them,” he said after the game.