Reserves maintain 100 per cent record

Stranmillis Reserves 2

Banbridge Rangers Reserves 4

BANBRIDGE Rangers Reserves travelled to play Stranmillis Reserves on Saturday hoping to keep up their 100 percent record in the league before beginning a series of cup games.

The home side were out to play a physical game from the outset with some rash challenges and within five minutes striker Gareth Wilson had his head cut in a challenge.

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Wilson carried on and within two minutes of returning to the pitch he was put through by fellow striker John Thompson and Wilson made no mistake with a cool finish under the keeper.

After taking the lead Banbridge Rangers were forced into making a change when Jonathan Wilson had to receive treatment after another challenge had left a nasty gash around the mouth.

Stranmillis got an equaliser mid-way through the half with a great strike from 25 yards out. Banbridge Rangers regained the lead within 10 minutes forcing the ball home from a corner before Stranmillis replied with a speculative effort from just inside the Rangers half that looped over the head of the keeper.

The second half continued in the same vein as the first half with Stanmillis trying to use the physical side of the game.

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Both sides had chances to take the lead but it was Banbridge Rangers who got ahead for a third time in the game when James McCallister rifled home a free kick from just outside the area.

The home team put Rangers under intense pressure for the remainder of the game trying to force chances with the Banbridge side content to soak up pressure and try to finish the match on the counter attack.

It took until a full seven minutes had been played at the end of the game before the match was sealed when McVeigh released James Montieth who blasted home the winner.

The referee blew for the end of the match several seconds later with the result keeping Banbridge Rangers Reserves magnificent record at the start of this season intact.

This Saturday the Reserves play in the first round of the O'Hara cup against Crewe United Reserves who also play in Reserve Division Two.