Ladies conclude league season with high-scoring victory

Kirsten Young (left) is congratulated by Clare Gillespie after scoring a goal during Saturday's league game with Ballyclare at the Academy. INBT 12-201CS

Despite falling behind inside the opening five minutes, following some good link up play in and around the circle Kirsten Young slotted the ball past the goalkeeper to level the game.

Ballymena couldn’t prevent Ballyclare from scoring again before the break but early in the second half, Emma Gillespie levelled the score again from a strong bottom corner strike!

Ballymena pushed on and soon Clare Gillespie gave her side the lead with a top drawer shot. Further chances fell to Ballymena, with Young again hitting the post before Gillespie netted her second penalty corner to make it 4-2 to the Ballymena girls.

Ballymena's Holly Taggart in action during Saturday's league game with Ballyclare at the Academy. INBT 12-200CS

Ballyclare did get a further goal just before full time but Ballymena saw out the game.

Ballymena: J. Davis(GK), G. McBurney, S. Morrison, A. Logan, E. Gillespie, S. Storey, H. Taggart, J. Duncan, C. Gillespie, E. King, K. Young, A. Logan, E. Clarke.

MEN

Mossley V 2, Ballymena 4: Ballymena took the lead when they broke well with Andrew Lorimer linking up with Craig Davis whose brilliant work played in Alex McKeown for a 1-0 lead.

The second goal came from an advantage in the middle of the park with Clive Fulton winning the ball and providing an exceptional pass to the forwards, giving McKeown his second of the day before Mossley pulled a goal back.

In the first 10 minutes of the restart Ballymena pressed the home defence again and this time McKeown turned provider for Davis to make it 3-1

Mossley got the game back to 3-2, but a quick break from Davis saw him fire a quick ball into the circle for McKeown to complete his hat-trick.

Raphoe III 1, Ballymena II 2: On a gravel pitch, midway through the half Raphoe opened the scoring after the ball hit a Ballymena foot on the line that saw McConnaghie beaten to his right from the penalty flick.

Ballymena’s reply came from a swift left wing move that saw Nicholl’s shot deflected into the path of Ben Mills, returning after 5 weeks absence to level the game.

Phil Moody found the magic touch with a rasping drive that bounced off the keeper and into the corner for what proved the winner.

Ballymena: K. McConnaghie(GK), J. Grimason, D. McDowell, C. Black, A. Hanna(C), D. Hamill, P. Moody, S. Glass, T. Lowry, B. Mills, S. Gordon, P. Nicholl