Island suffer first league defeat since October

Islandmagee 0

A MALACHIANS goal inside the opening seconds saw Islandmagee crash to their first league defeat since losing at home to Dromara Village back in mid-October.

The Islanders were caught cold right from the kick-off, when Micky Smyth dispatched a right-wing cross.

Five minutes later, Island were so close to an equaliser; the keeper taking the sting out of a Robert Dunwoody shot, although it was still set to trundle over the line until hooked clear by a home defender.

Minutes later, a Dunwoody header zipped just past the post.

That apart, while Island had more of the possession, they were sorely failing to test the Mals keeper.

The second half continued along the same template, though Michael Moore maybe ought to have done better than to head one over the bar, while the home keeper just pipped Paul Waite to Karl Murray’s searching pass.

The Wilbourners had a strong penalty appeal turned down when Andy Waide went down inside the box, after turning his marker.

On Saturday, it’s back to Wilbourne Park for the league visit of Downpatrick.

Islandmagee; Harrison – Smyth, Tierney, Phillips, Anderson – Murray, Moore, Moffett – Waite, Dunwoody (Lough), A Waide. Subs (unused) Kerby, Gibb