PSNI lay down the law to defeat Ballymoney United

BALLYMONEY United’s recent sloppy league form continued with a 1-3 home reversal at the hands of PSNI.
Goalmouth action during Saturday's match where Ballymoney United took on the PSNI.INBM49-13 207JCGoalmouth action during Saturday's match where Ballymoney United took on the PSNI.INBM49-13 207JC
Goalmouth action during Saturday's match where Ballymoney United took on the PSNI.INBM49-13 207JC

Ballymoney had the best of the early exchanges with McKinley coming close on 7 mins shooting across the face of the goal with McGarry homing in on goal just wide.

Ballymoney settled and during a good passage of play again came close through O’Kane.

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The visitors came more into the game and only a brilliant save from Moore in the home goal prevented Steel from scoring in the 17th minute. Both teams were cancelling each other out at this stage until the 25th minute when ex Ballymoney player Kirgan let fly with a 20yard volley past Moore giving the keeper no chance.

Ballymoney should have scored on 35 mins when Higgins found himself one on one with Wilson but delivered a weak shot straight at the keeper.

The home team continued to attack but were not clinical enough in front of goal. A great move down the left by McKinley on 41mins saw him cutting in and shooting across goal only to see his effort hit the back post and ricochet of defender Anderson and wide for a corner.

With half time approaching McKinley again broke down the left and with almost a carbon copy of his previous effort only this time the keeper was beat and McCaughan tapped in from an offside position.

Half Time: Ballymoney United 0 PSNI 1

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The start of the second half was a scrappy affair with PSNI coming close on 52 mins when Anderson saw his great shot saved by Moore deflected to Leith whose shot was also saved by Moore and finally cleared after a scramble.

The visitors broke down the right on the hour with Leith and his cross was deflected by keeper Moore into the path of Steel whose fierce shot was brilliantly saved by Moore when the striker was sure he had done enough to score. Ballymoney continued to attack but found a well drilled midfield closing the home team down at every opportunity. Ballymoney came close on 66 mins when Higgins whipped in a dangerous cross for McKinley to glance his header just wide. McDermott for the visitors came close on 77 mins when he met a free kick at the back post pushed over by Moore. The resulting corner resulted in a scramble and a poor clearance fell to Leith who made no mistake from close range.

It was fast and furious in the closing stages when a McKinley cross on 87 mins fell to an unmarked McClelland who shot straight at Wilson. On 88 mins O’Kane found space unmarked but rattled his shot over the bar. Ballymoneys pressure paid of when McKinley found the net 89 mins. The Visitors were quick of the mark straight from the centre releasing Steel down the left cutting in and shooting across the home goal and in off the back post. Ballymoney came close in the dying minutes when Dempsey squandered another Ballymoney chance shooting straight at Wilson.

Full Time: Ballymoney United 1 PSNI 3

Ballymoney United: Moore. McFerran. Keane. OgBoyle. McGarry. Gillan. Og O’Kane. McKinley. Larkin. Higgins. McCaughan. Subs: Dempsey. McClelland, Dooey.

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