U15s edged out

TOWN Juniors Under-15s were edged out by Lurgan as they kicked off a busy last month of the season in the Lisburn League.

There was little to choose between the teams at Havelock Park with a disputed penalty 10 minutes from the end proving decisive.

The sides cancelled each other out in the early exchanges and it took until midway through the opening half for the first clear-cut chance to be created. Jack Fullerton was just off target with his finish after the locals had unlocked the centre of the Lurgan defence.

Kyle Thompson also went close before at the other end Lurgan were denied when a long range piledriver struck the woodwork and while the rebound was tucked away it was ruled out for offside.

Banbridge opened the second half better and looked the side more likely to break the deadlock, but their luck was out when a Joel Copes header was cleared off the line.

With the game seemingly destined for stalemate the key moment arrived ten minutes from time when a cross from the right struck a Banbridge defender on the arm. The locals will feel it was more a case of ball to hand with the arm not having been raised but the referee saw it otherwise and awarded a spot-kick which was converted.

The goal stunned the locals and only a brilliant Stuart Wilson save from a header at the base of his right post prevented Lurgan adding a second.

The locals were unable to respond in the dying minutes but will feel that a draw would have been a fairer outcome between two well matched sides.

Team: Stuart Wilson, Nathan Thompson, Daire McCluskey, Daniel Devlin, Kyle Thompson, Nathan Weir, Joel Copes, Jack Fullerton, Chris Burns, Luke Diamond, Jack McCartan.

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