Home defeat for Amateurs

DROMORE Amateurs went into this 1C clash hoping to complete a league double over their opponents.

Just a week earlier, a two-goal salvo from Colin Gilliland at Mossley had given Dromore their first league points of the season.

But on Saturday at Ferris Park, it was a case of sweet revenge as the men from Newtownabbey ran out 3-0 winners.

The damage was done in the opening 15 minutes as a fired-up Mossley side took full advantage of a sluggish start by the Amateurs to storm into a 2-0 lead.

The home side woke from their slumber and started to dominate but they passed up on a number of opportunities to reduce the deficit.

Dromore paid the ultimate price for such profligacy – 13 minutes after the interval, Mossley sealed the victory with a wonder-strike from 20 yards, leaving the remainder of the tie just a formality.

St Oliver Plunkett’s IIs 8 Dromore Amateurs IIs 1

IT'S been a pretty wretched start to the season for the Amateurs Seconds.

The two games so far have both resulted in heavy defeats.

Strangely, this was an, albeit slight, improvement on the previous week’s effort but it still resulted in a crushing scoreline.

The only real moment of cheer was a fine second-half strike by Paul ‘the Yak’ Rankin – the popular striker opened his account when he got on the end of a Marcel Beattie cross and his first-time shot from 18 yards rocketed into the net.

But the goal never truly raised any chance of a comeback – Oliver Plunkett’s had already slammed home five past Dromore, and they would rack up another three before the full-time whistle.

Player David McDowell found himself 25 richer on Saturday evening after his number was pulled out in the “100 Club” draw – nice one Davy, spend it wisely!

This Saturday, the firsts face a crunch encounter at Ferris Park with Civil Service, another team who have found points difficult to come by in early stages of the campaign. The Seconds have no fixture.