United youth team flying high in league

The victory keeps Clifford Adams’ side in second spot in the league table and will give the boys confidence ahead of this Saturday’s IFA Harry Cavan Youth Cup last 16 tie at Dungannon Swifts.

Ballymena were unlucky on the 21st minute when Eamon Fyfe played a 60 yard ball onto the on rushing Stewarty Nixon toe who was unfortunate to see his effort deflected wide.

On the 32nd minute Ballymena were awarded a corner after good work by Stewarty Nixon. Kurtis McCartney whipped in an inch perfect ball for Josh Corry to score with a fine header to get his first goal in a Ballymena jersey since his recent transfer from Crusaders.

A change of position between Chandler Douglas and Leon Bonnes resulted in both players coming into the game really well and dictating and running the midfield along with Eamon Fyfe and Jake Mcneill.

It was Aaran Weir’s turn to have his say and after a mazy run he was upended on the edge of the box. Up stepped captain Jake McNeill to slot the resultant freekick into the bottom left hand corner to continue his rich vein of goalscoring from midfield, with six in his last nine games.

The Glens came out determined to get back into it and in the 53rd minute United keeper Kyle Rowe pulled off a top drawer save to keep the two goal advantage.

Three subs Woods, Rodgers and Dunlop all came on and had a positive influence and Woods was unlucky to see his piledriver saved by the keeper

“It was another top drawer performance from the boys, especially the first half, which is the best we have played since myself and John Clarke took over,” said Adams, who was particularly impressed with the performance of Chandler Douglas.

United youth: Rowe, McCartney, Corry, Agnew, Sloan (sub Rodgers 75), Bonnes, Douglas (sub Woods 79), McNeil, Fyfe, Weir (sub Dunlop 84), Nixon.