Tuesday 9
December 7.45pm Kick off at Riada Stadium
Ballymoney United 1 v Ballyclare
Comrades 0
Ballymoney United’s run of good form continued on Tuesday night when they defeated Ballyclare Comrades in a classic six pointer.
Comrades thought they had grabbed the perfect start to the match when on 3 minutes they had the ball in the back of the net. A well delivered free-kick into the box from Andy Simms found Gary Bell at the back post and he headed in. However, the referee ruled the goal out for an infringement.
The rest of the first half saw a lot of endeavour from both sides, with Ballymoney looking the sharper and having slightly more of the attacking play. Comrades struggled to create much against a solid looking home outfit, whilst Ballymoney, although having the territorial advantage in the first 25 minutes, failed to find an adequate final ball to finish off their moves.
The first real chance for the home side fell on 21 minutes when a good move ended with Nicholl producing a good turn and shot from the edge of the box, which Ian Mannus did well to save low, just inside the post.
As the half progressed Comrades came slightly more into it and created a couple of chances. On 29 minutes a penetrating ball played into the box by Ricky Higgins found Kyle Agnew in space, but when he should have fired in a shot early, he hesitated and the chance was snuffed out. Then, four minutes later, a fairly poor free-kick into the box somehow eluded everyone and fell to Ricky Higgins who scooped and effort over the out-rushing keeper, but also over the bar from 7 yards out.
The second half continued in the scrappy manner of the first with little to entertain the sparse crowd. The first effort on goal in the half came on 59 minutes when a well struck McLernon free-kick from 20 yards was saved by the well positioned Ian Mannus.
Ballymoney had looked slightly the more dangerous side, without creating too much, but on 64 minutes they took the lead when a well delivered corner from the right found David Gage and he bulleted an unstoppable header past Ian Mannus from 7 yards out. Comrades’ misery was compounded by Paul Caldwell receiving an injury during the goal incident and having to be stretchered off.
Some credit must go to the lively home side which prevented Comrades playing the ball comfortably from the back and in midfield, with their constant harrying. Comrades were forced into mistakes on a number of occasions and on 80 minutes one such error almost gifted Ballymoney a second goal.
After a number of passes, going nowhere deep in their own half, Comrades gave the ball away, allowing Nicholl to run into the left side of the box and strike and effort from 12 yards which was deflected inches wide of the far post.
On 87 minutes Comrades had a penalty claim when Joe McRoberts looked to have received a kick from a Ballymoney defender when about to shoot, after a scramble in the box, but the referee was having none of it.
However, Comrades real and, to be honest, only chance to salvage something from a poor night came 2 minutes into injury-time.
A good low ball from the left across the 6 yard box by Andy Simms just eluded the touch of the out-stretched leg of Joe McRoberts, when any kind of contact would surely have brought a goal.
There was still time for Ballymoney to almost add to their lead a minute later, when Nicholl forced a scrambling save from Ian Mannus
when he shot from 10 yards.
11
YELLOW CARDS 
RED CARDS 
