Fifth win in a row for form team Wakehurst

The fact that Ian Gregg’s side went in a goal to the good at the interval was strage in that they had been outplayed and outfought for the majority of the opening 45 minutes.

It required the heroics of keeper Marc Maybin, the tenacity of Dougie Stevenson and Roy Colville and the help of the crossbar and upright kept them in the game, until the closing 12 minutes of the half.

Only then did the visitors decide to pick up the tempo and the Banbridge Town back four did not look comfortable, conceding a series of free-kicks around the 18 yard box.

In the 44th minute a 22-yard free-kick from Mark Crawford looked to be well covered by keeper Nathan Hillen but he made a mess of dealing with it and somehow the ball ended up in the back of the net.

Having escaped the first half with a clean sheet, Ian Gregg’s side didn’t make the same mistakes and it was the home team coming under the cosh at the start of the second half.

Arron Lemon and Jason Paul both went close before Lemon had to leave the field of play, sustaining what turned out to be a broken left arm, after an innocuous collision with Pedlow - a very unfortunate incident for both the player and Wakehurst, particularly at this stage of the season.

Conor Gregg and Jason Paul both had opportunites to increase their lead but Wakehurst still had to thank keeper Maybin in the 89th minute, as Timmy Grant found himself unmarked inside the penalty area, but Maybin was sharply off his line to force the striker into a hurried effort that went wide of the upright.

Wakehurst: M Maybin, P Alexander, R Culbertson, D Stevenson, R Colville, A Laughlin, J Lemon, M Crawford, C Gregg, J Paul, A Lemon. Subs: L McCaughern, R Gregg, S Mellon, S McKinney, J Alexander.

Wakehurst have a good opportunity to strengthen their position this week with ‘home’ games against the two bottom sides in the division.

Tonight (Tuesday), they play Killymoon Rangers (7.45pm), while on Saturday, Chimney Corner are the visitors (3pm).