McCann double can’t undo slow start by Town U14s

Banbridge Town Juniors U16s Lisburn League team suffered their first league defeat in five matches on Saturday morning going down 3-2 at the Barbour against title rivals Midway.
5 March 2014; A general view of a football. UEFA Under 21 Championship Qualifier, Republic of Ireland v Montenegro, Tallaght Stadium, Tallaght, Co. Dublin. Picture credit: Piaras O Midheach / SPORTSFILE5 March 2014; A general view of a football. UEFA Under 21 Championship Qualifier, Republic of Ireland v Montenegro, Tallaght Stadium, Tallaght, Co. Dublin. Picture credit: Piaras O Midheach / SPORTSFILE
5 March 2014; A general view of a football. UEFA Under 21 Championship Qualifier, Republic of Ireland v Montenegro, Tallaght Stadium, Tallaght, Co. Dublin. Picture credit: Piaras O Midheach / SPORTSFILE

In what was an exciting match played in atrocious conditions, the Juniors were left to rue a disappointing start to the game conceding three goals in a bizarre opening 20 minutes.

Leaving themselves a mountain to climb, Banbridge to their credit rolled up their sleeves and dominated the rest of the game only to come up that little bit short.

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McCannfired over the bar when well placed as Town looked to get back in and Fearon kick-started the come-back, heading in Downey’s superb delivery from a free-kick on the left wing.

McCann then scored a second, minutes from half-time, converting from close range after good work from McAtamney cutting in from the right wing.

This gave the Juniors a much needed confidence boost going into the second half, which they controlled.

With the Town defence now totally dominant and McAtamney and Downey combining well on the left, the chances inevitably started to come.

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Both Fearon and Byrne went close and McKibbon, who worked tirelessly, was unlucky not to score when he latched onto Leckey’s long clearance only for the ball to take a nasty bobble as the goal beckoned.

Half chances also fell to Devlin, Houston and McCann after some good approach play, but it wasn’t to be the Town’s day and they could not find that elusive equaliser much to the relief of the Midway management.

Although disappointed, the Juniors must learn the harsh lesson to start the game much better, leaving themselves with an almost impossible task to overcome so early in the game.

But their response to going 3-0 down was admirable and with a little slice of luck could have salvaged at least a point from the game which they richly deserved.

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Next up is bottom of the table Newry City at Havelock Park on Saturday morning.

BANBRIDGE TOWN AFC: Colin Leckey, Padraig Fitzsimmons, Paul Morgan, Jason Ellison, Cormac Downey, Jamie McAtamney, Odhran McKibbon, James McCann, Danny McKinstry, Gavin Fearon, Michael Rafferty, David Houston, Ryan Devlin, Owen Byrne,

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