Lurgan BBOB have more ups and downs than a rollercoaster

On Saturday Lurgan BBOB sought to continue their recent upturn in form when they faced Hill Street at Pollock Park.

They certainly began brightly with the movement and sharp passing of their front three causing the visitors all sorts of problems.

After 15 minutes Ryan Higgins dribbled past the full back along the goal line and pulled the ball back for the onrushing Thomas Greenaway to slot in the opening goal.

Five minutes later they doubled their lead after a superb move commencing on the left and switching to the right. Benny Greer exchanged passes with Aaron Muldrew and then found Mark Russell in the centre circle.

Russell then released Alex Dowey who in turn found Andrew Smyth and he slid the ball to Greenaway who drove in from twenty yards. Russell then intercepted a pass and passed to Higgins who tore at the heart of the Hill Street defence. He passed to Aaron Willis and then managed to get on the end of the return pass but his volleyed effort went narrowly wide.

On the half hour mark, however, the away side managed to gain a lifeline when they were awarded a free kick on the edge of the box and it was brilliantly executed to reduce the deficit. Then shortly before half time they appeared to have equalised when a header from a corner bounced off the woodwork and was headed in but the referee ruled it was offside.

In the second half the visitors took the initiative and pushed forward in search of the goal required to level the tie but despite plenty of possession and territorial advantage they were unable to create any clear cut chances. On one occasion it took a magnificent tackle by Greer to thwart a shot and on another goalkeeper Seth Mathers tipped a long range effort on to the crossbar. With ten minutes remaining BBOB believed they had secured the points when Greenaway hit the post and Philip Moutray tapped in the rebound but it too was ruled offside. In the closing minutes, however, they did seal victory when Greenaway completed his hat trick driving a free kick into the top corner of the net.

This was a well deserved victory for Lurgan BBOB and a fine team performance which they will seek to build on in upcoming fixtures.

Lurgan BBOB would like to express their thanks to Bryson Architects for their kind match sponsorship on Saturday.

Team:- S Mathers, A Dowey, M Russell, P Wright, B Greer, A Smyth, L Totten, A Muldrew, R Higgins, T Greenaway, A Willis. Subs:- P Moutray, J Davison, M Johnston.

MUJL: Annagh Utd U19 3 (1) v LBBOB Yth 0 (0)

The Under 19s welcomed Lurgan BB Old Boys to the Annagh for the third time this season, having already beaten them in both the group and knockout stages of the Savage Cup, this was their first meeting in the Mid Ulster Juvenile League.

With six regulars not starting, there was a debut for Ryan Ferris, whilst Ethan Harvey also made the starting XI.

It was a disastrous opening for the visitors who conceded an own goal from Annagh’s very first attack, however having let in six on their last visit, Annagh found the Lurgan side harder to break down on this occasion. In the 17th minute, Jack Dumigan hit a powerful goal-bound shot from 20 yards, which produced a good save from the visiting goalkeeper, but in a fairly uneventful half, it remained 1-0 to Annagh at the break.

There was more goalmouth action in the second half, with Annagh doubling their lead six minutes in. Jay Wethered attacked down the left and fed a through ball to Miller Gray whose well taken first time strike from just inside the box found the back of the net.

On 56 minutes it was 3-0 to the hosts following another surging run down the left by Jay Wethered, this time the ball fell to debutant Ryan Ferris, who turned his defender inside out on the goal line wide out on the left, before centring the ball to Ethan Harvey who made no mistake, heading home on the far post for his first goal of the season.

With eight minutes left, Oliver Greenlee crossed from the left to tee up Miller Gray, however with the ‘keeper well beaten, he headed just over from close range.

In the last minute, another run from Oliver Greenlee who cut in from the left and shot, was well saved by the Lurgan BBOB shot-stopper and the match finished Annagh United 3, Lurgan BBOB 0.

LINE-UP: John Joe Forde, Nathan Stoops, Jay Dickson, Gary Roycroft, Jay Wethered, Miller Gray, Adam Henderson, Jack Dumigan, Ryan Ferris, Jordan Tait, Ethan Harvey, Ben Gillis, Craig Anderson, Oliver Greenlee, Curtis Murphy.

MUFL Res 3: Lurgan Town Sw 1 (1) v LBBOB II 0 (0)

Little between the teams as Town Swifts went 1-0 up by the break in the derby and so the score stayed until the end. BBOB II did have chances also but were denied by the woodwork and some good goalkeeping.

BBOB: Ross Kennedy, Matthew McCormick, Matthew Dillon, Jonathan Willis, Derek Wilson, Matthew Denny (c), Stephen Kearney, Sammy Davidson, Jordan Garrity, Alex Moffatt, Steven Richardson. subs: Peter Millen, Jonny McKinney, Matthew Wells.

LBBOB N.A Sports BB SOCCER 7’s - WEEK 1

The 2019-20 LBBOB N.A Sports BB Soccer 7s Week 1 kicked off with an opening Under 14 game at the league stage involving last season’s league stage runners up Moira and past champions Waringstown.

The first match of the Under 14 competition, a derby game involving Moira and Waringstown, proved to be a match with goals.

Moira opened the scoring early when young striker James Curran drilled home a low drive. By half way through the 1st half Moira had doubled their lead when Curran attacked down the left and crossed for Isaac Brett to strike home.

The remainder of the half was quite even with neither team scoring and both goalkeepers in top form when called on. Just after the break Waringstown really came back into the contest when their impressive young striker Alex Moran scored from inside a crowded penalty area with a calm low finish. However, not long after Moira restored their two goal lead when a through ball was latched onto by runner Curran who expertly chipped the ball over the outrushing goalkeeper and into the net. Thereafter Moira took charge and outstanding young striker Curran, often assisted by Jack Johnston, went on to score a further three goals to complete an amazing five goal salvo as his Moira team ran out 6-1 winners. Credit also to a young and understrength Waringstown for trying hard right to the end.

Thanks to Match sponsor: Bryson Architects www.bryson-architects.net (Maurice Johnston) for their support.