Moore penalty seals Island win over Villa

Abbey Villa 0

THERE was a second successive clean sheet for Islandmagee who leap up to fourth slot in the Premier Division, after seeing off current Premier Division pacesetters Abbey Villa at Wilbourne Park.

Already without the suspended Billy Waide and the injured Neil McKnight, Island suffered another blow during the week when defender turned striker, Stuart Hilditch, their success story of the season, sustained ankle ligament damage and looks likely to miss the remainder of the season.

Making a welcome return to the fold, though, was Stephen Tierney, who dovetailed perfectly with central defensive partner Andy Phillips, as if he had never been away.

The Wilbourners made the breakthrough on the half hour, when Karl Murray was sent tumbling just outside the box; Andy Waide curling the resultant free kick over the wall high into the top corner of the net.

Island could have been riding more comfortably, with Murray nodding one just wide, and Michael Moore demanding a fine save out of the Villa custodian.

Villa, however, piled on the pressure on the turnaround, with some telling crosses from both flanks, and almost bridged the gap with what was practically a carbon copy of the Andy Waide goal, only this time the free kick shuddered off the angle of post and bar.

Island almost gave themselves some breathing space when a Moore volley, from a Waide cross, was blocked on the line, while the Abbey keeper again sprung to the rescue, in denying Steven Smyth his first Islandmagee goal.

The Wilbourners, however, stitched it all up five minutes from time, when a David Lough corner was handled inside the box; Moore cracking home the resultant penalty.

Next Saturday, its back to Wilbourne Park for the visit of second placed Killyleagh Youth Club.

Islandmagee; Harrison – Craig, Tierney, Phillips, Anderson – Smyth, Moore, Moffatt, Gibb (Lough) – Murray (Dunwoody), A Waide. Sub (unused) Baxter.

Player Out; Ryan Thompson, S, Wellington Rec.