Mighty Glebe thump rivals Riverside

GLEBE Rangers Old Boys are the now the only team left unbeaten in the HTWL after Saturday’s round of games.

They faced off against Riverside Athletic, the only other unbeaten team and on paper it looked like it could go either way but Glebe had other ideas and cantered to a 4-1 victory.

Hazelbank and Berthas FC closed the gap on second place with comfortable victories over Ballyrashane and Coleraine Olympic respectively.

Hillview suffered a shock defeat against Finn McCools, and what a defeat it was with the Bushmills men hammering in six goals in the 6-2 win. Macosquin Village and Dunaghy Old Boys kept up their good form with good wins over Mountview and The Villagers while the Taverners gained a good three points over FC Macosquin who had been in great form of late.

The remaining games were high scoring affairs with Balnamore beating West Bann and Brook Street beating Somerset.

This weekend sees the remaining six games in the first round of the Shield competition up for contest. Tie of the round looks to be at Castlerock where Berthas will face The Taverners.

Going by the league table, Berthas should start as favourites but The Taverners have already took the scalp of the Castlerock men this season and will travel confident of repeating that result. Glebe will travel to Finn McCools knowing that they face a tough contest against a young, inform side while Hazelbank, despite starting favourites, will know they face a stern test from The Villagers. In the remaining games, Dunaghy travel to Coleraine to face Brook Street, FC Macosquin are at home to Somerset while Riverside should gain an easy passage through to the quarter finals against Coleraine Olympic.

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Riverside Athletic 1 Glebe Rangers Old Boys 4

This keenly awaited local derby took place with the added spice of ex-Taverners boss Richard McNabb facing a number of his ex-charges in the Old Boys line-up.

Glebe boss Davy John McBride in conjunction with assistant Jason Wilmont changed the line-up and tactics and, in the first half in particular, it seemed to pay dividends as the Old Boys started the stronger.

Indeed in the first minute McCurdy found Steele inside the box but McLean was able to divert the striker’s effort for a corner.

Steele made amends when he cleverly nodded home from a cross by utility man Lee Kyle who this week appeared on the left side of midfield.

Kyle was again to the fore when he was brought down inside the box and Ian Bellingham, returning to duty after a holiday break, made no mistake from the resultant penalty.

This pattern continued for the majority of the first half with Patterson and Kyle being denied by McLean whilst Riverside missed a good opportunity after being played in by a loose back pass. Half time arrived with no further scoring.

Riverside came out rejuvenated at the start of the second half, causing Glebe problems with their direct running and they reduced the deficit midway through the half when White nodded home a header from a near post corner. The home time continued their efforts and it was clear that the next goal would be vital.

Cometh the hour cometh the man and it was centre-half Alan McBride who stepped up to the plate as he steered home a 20 yard free-kick to continue his recent fine scoring form.

Steele completed the scoring two minutes later with a powerful shot from 10 yards out.

Thereafter with a few players carrying knocks, Glebe took the opportunity to make a few changes.

The remaining minutes were played out with the most notable effort requiring Allen to keep out a fine long-range effort from Donnelly. Man of the Match: Billy McCurdy (Glebe Rangers Old Boys)

Ballyrashane FC 1 Hazelbank FC 9

Hazelbank got off the mark within the first five minutes, a well worked goal, Sheppard and McCrory linking well on the left, McCrory laid the ball onto Wilson, cutting inside the two centre halves to stroke home, Hazelbank started to pile on the pressure from here on, Sheppard, McClarty, Wilson, McCrory all went close.

Doherty in the Ballyrashane goal was being kept very busy, saving well with his feet, denying Sheppard and McClarty, getting of his line to close down.

Hazelbank extended the lead on 35 minutess, J Barnes turning into to his own from Sheppard’s cross.

Ballyrashane kept there heads up after this setback, McIntyre and Simpson both having a go.

Simpson came very close to getting a goal, his long range effort forcing Crawford to make the save, pushing away for a corner.

Hazelbank started the second half with the intent of getting the game won as early as possible. Sheppard had Doherty racing off his line within five minutes of the restart, again the keeper saving well with his feet, Wilson also tested him pushing the shot away for another corner.

K Reid got the vital third goal on 58 minutes, cutting in from the right beating three Ballyrashane players, and drilling into the bottom corner. Two minutes later Sheppard got his goal making no mistake he delayed his shot until Doherty committed himself he coolly dinked it over him. Colin McClarty continued to rout, getting the first of his three and the start of five goal feast inside a 10 minute spell to end Ballyrashane hopes: 77 minutes Colin tapping in from Sheppard’s cross, 79 minutes turning and shooting from the edge of the box and 81 minutes James diver went on a solo run beating three and wrong-footing the keeper,.

D Simpson got a consolation for Ballyrashane, a good piece of skill, his well hit shot was well placed with Crawford at full stretch on 83 minutes. Colin McClarty completed his hat-trick straight from the centre on 84 minutes. James Boyd upended McClean, Colin smashed home the spot kick. Dave McClean completed the job on 86 minutes, Reid’s lay off and Dave simply strolled it home. Man of the Match: Colin McClarty (Hazelbank)

Berthas FC 4 Coleraine Olympic 0

Hillview 2 Finn McCools 6

Hillview started off the better side having good chances in the first 20 minutes, but the Finns defence stood strong.

Finns settled when Rushe’s cross from the left wing found its way into the back of the net.

This opened up the game when again Finns caught Hillview on the break this time J Parke scoring.

Hillview kept up the pressure Finns again catching them on the break again with J Parke again hitting the net.

Second half the game really opened up with both teams going from end to end playing good attacking football.

Finns’ fourth came when they played good football through midfield with Kane latching onto a first time shot leaving Hillview’s keeper with no chance.

The score soon became five when a good ball from I Parke in midfield put it over the top of the Hillview defence with Rushe coming inside slotting it into the bottom corner.

Hillview knew they had to do something and their attacking paid off with a long ball into the box, which was headed in by a Finns player into his own net.

The sixth goal for Finns came again when Rushe got free hitting a low ball into the box with one of Hillviews defenders slicing it into his own net. Hillview came again scoring with this time the Finns defence getting caught out and in the last mins they also missed a pen. This was a well-fought game with both teams battling very hard and on the day Finns got the three points. Man of the Match: Chris McAfee (Finn McCools)

Mountview FC 1 Macosquin Village 3

After last week’s victory over Mountview Macosquin knew this would be another tight match.

Mountview dominated the first 20 minutes forcing stand in keeper Chrissy Wade to make some important saves to keep Macosquin in the game.

Macosquin upped their game and came close only for some excellent keeping from Hugh McLaughlin in the Mountview nets to keep the score level at half time.

The second half started with both teams attacking and Mountview deservedly taking the lead on 57 minutes when Fillis’ shot was well saved by Wade but Daryl Wills was at hand to tap into the empty net.

This woke Macosquin up and they grabbed the equalizer on sixty-two minutes when a neat one two with Johnston and Moffat beat the offside trap for Johnston to score on the second attempt.

Macosquin continued pile on the pressure and went two one up on 26 minutes when a great long ball from McNeill was neatly flicked over the Mountview defence by Aaron Laverty, for the on form Ryan Moffat to coolly slide the ball past the oncoming keeper to score his 17th goal of the season so far.

Macosquin finished the game strongly, playing some neat football in midfield, and put the match to bed in the 84th minute when an excellent throughball from Darren Stewart on the half way line put Moffat in again who easily beat the last defender with some excellent footwork in the six yard box to convert past the helpless McLaughlin for his second of the game.

Mountview pressed hard in the final five minutes, but the Macosquin defence stayed organised and they held on for a hard fought victory, making it three wins on the bounce. Man of the Match Aaron Laverty (Macosquin Village)

Dunaghy Old Boys 4 The Villagers 2

Dunaghy had the first chance of the game on five minutes when Christie slipped through Nathan Blair but his shot was well saved by the keeper’s legs.

Christie then made the keeper work again with a low drive from a tight angle.

The game was end to end for the remainder of the half with both teams having chances but the deadlock failed to be broke and it remained all square at the break. Dunaghy took the lead just after the restart when Christie latched onto a through ball to beat the keeper at the near post. The Dunaghy midfield were now on top and Arnie Blair had a hand in the second goal when he slipped through Paul Robinson who rounded the keeper and slotted home.

Robinson then further increased his team’s lead when he ran onto Fulton’s flick on and his low shot from 20 yards found the back of the net. Dunaghy were now well on top and Christie grabbed his second and his team’s fourth when he robbed the defender before lashing the ball into the back of the net. The game looked well beyond the Villagers at this stage but two goals in two minutes with ten minutes to play meant a frantic ending to the game. The first came in the 80th minute after a mistake by Docherty in the Dunaghy goal and the second was a 25-yard cracker a minute later. Dunaghy settled again to see out the remaining minute for a good win. Man of the Match: Arnie Blair (Dunaghy Old Boys)

The Taverners 2 FC Macosquin 1

Both teams have had mixed results all this season and this was a good test for each team to see what progress had been made. Taverners started the game well and held onto possession in good spells, Niall O Kane again showing he can be a handful from any position.

Macosquin started to get a grip on the game and put the Taverners under increasing pressure, the midfield trio of Baird, Elder and Doherty held strong producing good tackles.

Peter Baird had a thunderous free kick superbly stopped by Macosquin’s keeper.

Niall O Kane then popped up unmarked at the back post to increase his tally for the season.

Taverners went into the break 1-0 up mainly thanks to a solid back four performance with F. Dunlop impressing again. Macosquin started the second brightly and had chances to equalise with Mearns on the left showing he is a player of real quality.

It was the Taverners who got the second though with great work from Terry Mullan who was unlucky not to be awarded the goal, but O'Kane made sure from close range.

Taverners Captain Adam Shields was sent off, this gave Macosquin the belief they could get something from the game. A long ball from Macosquin caused havoc in the Taverners defence and M. Blackwood calmly finished at the back post. Macosquin threw everything at the Taverners for the last 15 mins, but they held on to notch up another win. Man of the Match: Niall O’Kane (The Taverners)

West Bann Athletic 2 Balnamore FC 4

For a second time in a week both teams met at Rugby Avenue, this time it was back to the bread and butter of the league.

From the whistle both sides passed the ball well and created openings, however it was Balnamore who struck first, Noel Halliday crossed a long ball from the left, Madison got a helping touch, but it was Philip Hanna who scored, lobbing a glancing header over the West Bann keeper into the net from 18 yards.

Philip Hanna had a say in Balnamore’s second, Elder’s goalkick found Hanna, who in turn set the ever-ready Ryan Mooney on his way, and he calmly stroked the ball beyond a stranded Tosh to put the visitors two up. After the break it was more or less end to end stuff, canceling each other out.

West Bann had a host of shots at goal but the Balnamore defence of Beetle Blair and co kept them to long range efforts.

On 78 minutes the Bannside men got reward for their hard work when Lamont’s thumping shot took a deflection past Elder. West Bann took heart from this and looked dangerous, twice they went close, James Elder saved well from West Banns big no 10, and Tony Kelly got his ‘big heed’ to the ball to clear off the line what would have been a certain goal. Both teams played at a high tempo, Balnamore created time an again through the midfield duo of Josie ‘van der’ Kelly and Ryan ‘Scholes’ Mooney. Sean Hogg and Willie Corr ran the flanks well but their third goal came via left back Noel Halliday, he ploughed up the wing, found Ryan Madison who drew the keeper out, opened his body and slotted the ball into the corner of the net.

West Bann kept battling; Nicky Tweed rescued Balnamore a few times with his precision tackling and distribution of the ball, and looked comfortable all day.

As the Fulton Park men kept the pressure on the home team Mooney again picked the ball up, created an opening to get a low cross over to Ryan Madison who at the second attempt made it four for Balnamore, that’s five in two games for the Balnamore striker.

Credit to West Bann, they never gave up, paying off with a great strike from Jason Holmes right at the end for their second, but all too late as the visitors took the points on a wet and soggy day. Man of the Match: Nicky Tweed (Balnamore)

Brook Street 6 Somerset 3

Challenge Shield 1st Round Fixtures for Saturday 30th October

Bertha's F.C v Taverners F.C Castlerock

Brook Street v Dunaghy Old Boy's Crescent 3

F.C Macosquin v Somerset Rugby Avenue 2

Finn McCool's v Glebe Rangers Old Boys Bushmills

Hazelbank v Villagers F.C Rugby Avenue 3

Macosquin Village v Balnamore F.C Ballysally 2

Riverside Athletic v Coleraine Olympic Fulton Park

League Fixtures for Saturday 30th October

West Bann Athletic v Mountview F.C Rugby Avenue 1

Ballyrashane FC v Hillview University