Millar's men lose to Loughgall

LARNE fell to their seventh league defeat of the season on Tuesday night when they went down 1-0 at home to title chasing Loughgall.

The visitors played the better football and in truth should have won by a bigger margin.

Yet again Larne finished with ten men following a straight red for Robbie White late in the game.

Loughgall had the first opening on nine minutes when Moffatt whipped in a cross from the left forcing Reid to clear for a corner. Moffatt delivered the ball to find Murphy at the near post and he will be disappointed that he didn't make more of the chance.

The first chance for the home side fell to Dick with a snapshot which flew just wide of the left hand upright. Two minutes later Baker wasted a good chance heading wide from close range. Larne were forced to make a change when Larmour retired to be replaced by White.

Both sides were struggling to find the cutting edge up front and on twenty two minutes McMennamin picked up a pass from McQuoid then side stepped Murphy only to shoot straight into the body of Robinson.

McMennamin and White then linked up to set up Reid who saw his shot spilled by Robinson before Alderdice nipped in to clear. On the half hour Brown pulled out a fine save to keep the side's level diving to his right to push out a Hawthorn volley.

After the break Loughgall began to take control and time after time Smith's long ball down the channels caused problems for the home defence.

With an hour gone the deadlock was broken. Lavery crossed from the right to find Hawthorn on the penalty spot and his looping header beat the outstretched hand of Ryan Brown in the Larne goal. Ten minutes later the Reds should have been level when White's pass released McQuoid on the right.

His deep cross fell to McMennamin rushing in at the back post but he just failed to apply the finishing touch. Loughgall then hit back with Moffatt again getting to the line to set up Baker who dragged his shot wide of the target.

A quick break out of defence presented White with a scoring opportunity on seventy three minutes. He had acres of space in front of him but rushed his shot sending it high in wide. To make it an even more miserable night for White he received a straight red for an off the ball challenge in the dying seconds.

LARNE. Brown, Fulton, Reid, Marsh, Carland, Dick (Rafferty), McQuoid (McConnaghie), McNally, McLaughlin, Larmour (White), McMennamin. Subs: Neeson, McConnaghie, Rafferty, M.Reid, White.

LOUGHGALL: Robinson, Waddell, Pentland, Alderdice, Murphy, Smith, Mofatt, Hawthorn, Baker, McDowell, Lavery. Subs: Adair, Evans, Herron, A.Brown, P.Brown

Referee. G.McIlwrath (N'Ards)