Hagan's men show their 'Steel' to send holders crashing out

Kilmore Rec 1

WELLINGTON Rec toppled the reigning champions, producing their best performance of the season in this ultimately convincing victory over Kilmore Rec at Brookvale Park.

As manager Jim Hagan said afterwards, “There’s always that bit if extra pressure on the holders, and our boys were very much up for it. We had only won one out of four this season, but in every match we were well there and had the chances to win it, only it just never happened. On Saturday, we got the wee bounce of the ball, and the goals at the right time.”

Wellington got off to the ideal start with an opportunist third-minute opener from Gary Montgomery, turning smartly to place the ball wide of the stranded keeper.

Rec doubled that lead when the Kilmore keeper could only help a William Magill corner into his own net.

The visitors’ keeper wasn’t entirely blameless either when, under pressure from Zak McAllister, he palmed another Magill cross into his own net for Wellington’s third.

Number four came just after the break when Gary Barkley was felled in the box, as he tried to pounce onto the loose ball, after the keeper had pawed out a shot from substitute Darren McAllister. Barkley himself hammered in the resultant penalty.

Wellington couldn’t quite manage their first clean sheet of the season, the Crossgar side pulled one back, only for the Millbrookers to have the final say – with yet another spot kick from leading marksman Gary Barkley, his fifth penalty of the season so far, after Darren McAllister this time had been barged in the box.

On Saturday, it’s back to Brookvale Park for a Border Regiment Cup derby against Kilroot Rec.

Wellington Rec; Quinn – Shannon, W Wharry (O’Neill), S Cowie, Magill – Z McAllister (D McAllister), N McAllister (J Wharry), Gabbey, Barkley – Montgomery, Maguire

Player Out; Josh McAllister, M, Newington Rangers.