Gloom deepens at Inver as Larne slump to defeat again

Ballinamallard Utd 3

LARNE slumped to another defeat on Saturday when they went down 3-0 to Ballinamallard in what was their second league defeat to the Fermanagh side this season.

To add to the gloom, Larne again finished with 10 men but on this occasion they can count themselves very unlucky to see Reece Moore red-carded after minimal contact with Andy Crawford as the last man, even though the United player was never going to reach the loose ball.

The visitors had the best of the early exchanges, with Crawford forcing a fine save from Brown after nine minutes. A Kee corner then found Crilly, but his close-range shot was blocked by Brown before Hogan scrambled the ball out of the danger area.

With 25 minutes gone, Dick won the ball in midfield. He played it on to Fulton, who quickly released McLoughlin but his cross was too close to Morrison. A minute later, United took the lead.

Quigley drifted in from the right and squared the ball to Crawford on the edge of the area and, making the best of the space in front of him, he fired a low shot wide of Brown in to the corner.

Morrison, who had been a virtual spectator, kept his side in front on the half-hour when he dived at the feet of Dick when he got on the end of McMennamin’s cross. With a minute of the half remaining a slip by Carland let in Crawford.

He knocked the ball too far ahead of him, but as he chased it he brushed against Moore and went down, leaving the referee to produce the red card. Two minutes after the break, Crawford slipped a great ball to Flaherty 10 yards out. He got his shot on target but again Brown produced an excellent one-handed save to keep it out.

Larne had a chance to get back on level terms after 52 minutes when Dick was upended on the edge of the box. He took the free himself, but the defensive wall did its job, clearing the danger. With an hour gone, a Quigley pass split the home defence to find Flaherty, his shot brilliantly tipped over by Brown.

Larne then gave a first appearance of the season to Craig Todd, who had impressed in a midweek challenge game, in place of McMennamin. The youngster looked lively, setting up an early chance for Fulton, whose low drive was comfortably saved by Morrison.

The game was effectively over when United added their second on 69 minutes and what a cracker it was. Kee, wgo was 25 yards out, let fly with a cracking shot which flew into the top left corner, giving the keeper no chance.

They almost added a third eight minutes from time when Hutchinson was left unmarked, only to be denied by Brown, with McLoughlin getting back to block Quigley’s shot on the line. The third was only delayed a further eight minutes when Quigley finally got his name on the scoresheet when, left unmarked, he hammered the ball past Brown.

LARNE: Brown, McLoughlin, Hogan, Moore, Carland, Reid, Fulton, McNally, Dick, McLaughlin, McMennamin. Subs: White (McLaughlin), Hill, McQuoid, Todd (McMennamin), Reid.

BALLINAMALLARD: Morrison, Crilley, McConkey, Liggett, Stafford, Kee, McManus, Hutchinson, Quigley, Crawford, Flaherty. Subs: Carters, Higginbotham, S.Hutchinson.

Referee. I.Hall (Belfast)