Park helps Coagh get off to winning start

PSNI 1

COAGH United got of to the best possible start to their Ladbrokes.com Championship 2 campaign with a win over the Police Service Northern Ireland.

This win was far from pretty and it took a deflected goal to decide the tie but Coagh won’t worry about that, they took and deserved the three points after controlling the match from start to finish.

Coagh started the match with a new look squad; in comes Lee Hunter and Alistair Young (Killymoon), Jamie Rooney (Portadown), while William Ferguson returned to Coagh after a loan spell with Killymoon last season.

This match started with a minute silence for Ivan Bell who passed away earlier in the week. Ivan Bell, who was instrumental in securing the advertising campaign with the Old Trafford legend George Best.

In the 1960s and 1970s, when the soccer legend had reached the pinnacle of his footballing career, Best promoted Cookstown bangers as "the Best family sausages".

The Cookstown factory had Ivan back to its factory when they paid their own tribute to the footballing genius by the unveiling of a commemorative plaque by members of the Best family. To Norman and the Bell family circle, Coagh United pass on their deepest sympathy to you all.

Coagh started the match togged out in their new strip which was kindly sponsored by local Firm Reid Engineering who has become Coagh’s main sponsor for the season.

Reid Engineering have come onboard along with the Cookstown Pork factory which is now part of the Vion group to sponsor Coagh both home and away this season.

The home side started brightly with Young, McMemeny and Gardiner all going close earlier on. As the match progressed, the Policemen made inroads and came close to breaking the deadlock through Arthurs and Hunter.

On twenty six minutes the visitors had a great chance when Kris Hunter got behind the Coagh defence to feed Gavin Arthurs but the number 9 pulled his shot just wide of Coagh’s gaping goal.

Three minutes later Coagh had the ball in the net for the first time. Steven Park had his goal-bound shot deflected wide for a corner but Park made no mistake at the second time of asking when he swivelled on the spot from Gardiner kick to send Henry the wrong way and open Coagh’s account for the season.

As expected, the Bobbies pressed the Coagh back four from the restart and Coagh could do nothing to stop Philip Mays deflected shot going into the net. May crept up from the back but knew nothing about the goal after it deflected off him and a Coagh defender to give Kempton no chance in the Coagh Goal.

The third and final goal came moments later and although Steven Park will claim it, it will have to be recorded as an OG by the PSNI number two. Mark McMemeny got the cross in to Park and his shot looked harmful until it took a deflection off Paul Greener and into the net.

The second half had little to offer, Coagh camped for long periods in the visitors' half but just could not get the ball in the net.

Hunter, Dallas and McMemeny all had good shots saved by Henry. The Police made a last ditch effort near the end but Kempton and his back four stood firm to secure all three points at Hagan Park.

Coagh would like to thank Rodney Hutchinson Butchers Oldtown Cookstown for sponsoring Saturday's match.

Tobermore V Coagh

Next up for Coagh is an away match to Tobermore this Friday night. This will be the first derby match of the season and is sure to draw a bumper crowd. With both teams recording a win on Saturday it already has the ingredients of being a hard fought clash. Fortwilliam Park is 7pm.

Coagh United: Jonathan Kempton, Richard Allen, Aaron Thornton, David Calderwood, Steven Hawe, Steven Park,Lee Hunter, (William Ferguson), Marcus Dallas, Alistair Young, (Stephen Lamont), Mark McMenemy, Jaime Gardiner Subs: Scott Cowden, Andrew Patterson, Jamie Rooney, Stephen Glasgow

PSNI; David Henry, Paul Greener, Philip May (Gary O’Neill), Gavin McKnight, Shane Brennan, Peter Mackie (Richard Dunlop), Kris Hunter, Gary Brown (William Fry), Graeme Arthur, Matthew Holden, Stephen Mellon. Subs: William Fry, Richard Dunlop, Jamie Adams, Keith Wilson, Gary O’Neill