FOOTBALL: Weekend review

Review from the weekend’s fixtures involving East Antrim teams.

Mossley were one of Saturday’s Intermediate Cup shocktroopers with a one-goal victory over 1a side Comber Rec, thanks to a 55th minute strike from Lee Graham goal seconds after coming off the bench.

As Mossley boss Garry Campbell explained: “Comber were caught unawares with Lee’s pace; he was just on and went racing onto Gareth McKinney’s pass.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The Intermediate isn’t high on our list of priorities, but we were looking a response from the week before.

“Comber are a good side, if you let them play football, but we did what we didn’t do against Iveagh, worked hard to close them down and deny them space. All in all we were as good as them, and deserved it!”

Also through are Barn United, 3-1 winners at Richill.

The Carrickfergus boys went one down just before the break, but came back with goals from Andy Kane, substitute Alan McCune and Gary McKee.

As manager Jim Pherson reflected afterwards: “All in all, an easy day for us, it always was going to go our way, we were just better than them, all over the park, but guilty of not taking our chances. Three-one made them look better than they were on the day”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The scoreline didn’t tell the full story either up at Skegoniel where Rathfern were beaten by Brantwood.

Rangers boss Bill Campbell insisted afterwards: “It was never a 4-1 game. The first 20 minutes we should have been four up.

“We played all the football but missed good close range changes, failing to hit the target.

“It’s a disappointing result, but I’m happy with the performance – the only worry being the injury to Gary Orr.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

David McCrea got Rathfern’s goal, a penalty to make it 3-1, after Moore had been upended.

Out, too, go Wellington, beaten at home by Trojans. Josh McAllister and Scott Todd (penalty) were Rec’s marksmen.

In the league, Larne Tech go second in 1a thanks to a second successive home hat trick by Reece McGinley, this time against 1st Bangor OB, while Ardglass’s injury time equaliser denied Nortel a deserved victory at the Factory Grounds, in what manager Lee McCartney classed as “the best performance since I came to the club”.

Jordan Clarke and substitute Adam Irwin were their goal scorers.

Related topics: