Frustrated Moyola Park settle for point agaisnt Banbridge Town

Despite the perfect conditions neither side was able to bring the finesse to the game which both sets of supporters hoped to see.

In the second minute Conor McNamee, who replaced Australia-bound Craig McAllister at right back, crossed to Chris Dowie who headed over the visitors’ crossbar.

In the 10th minute Marcin Farniok failed to take a corner kick on the left but Town’s Ryan Gourley failed to take advantage.

Half way through the opening half a McNamee corner kick was headed wide by Danny McIlhatton. A 30 yard effort by McIlhatton went narrowly wide of Stephen Croft’s goal 12 minutes before the break.

The second half was somewhat pedestrian. Neither side was sufficiently composed on the ball to seriously threaten the goalkeepers but for one occasion when a McIlhatton header was cleared off the Banbridge goalline with Croft beaten.

Conor Downey posed a threat to the home defence but McNamee coped well with his jinking runs. Gourley came closest to finding the Moyola Park net, but Farniok easily gathered the ball.

The game fizzled out towards the end with both sides having to settle for a point. Banbridge Town thus earned their third point of the season, all of which have been gained on the road, the previous points having been gained at Limavady United and Coagh United.

Moyola Park failed to make it three wins on the bounce following a home win against Wakehurst and a hard-earned three points against Sport and Leisure Swifts at Glen Road Heights.

Next up for Moyola Park is a visit to Portstewart on Saturday 17 October at 3pm.

Moyola Park: Farniok, McNamee, Harris, McQuillan, McIlhatton, Black (Gregg), Gray (Taggart), Magill, Dowie, Paul, Doey Subs not used: Evans, Walls

Banbridge Town: Croft, Wilson, Thompson, Greene, Waddell, Anderson, Gourley, McGrath, Downey, Buchanan, Moffett Subs: Ferguson, Gray Barr, Stoddard, Murphy