Ballymoney United Team

	TEAM	Stats	Goals
1	KEITH WILSON
2	GAVIN McKINNEY
3	DALE GORDON
4	MICHAEL McQUITTY
5	GARETH HILL
6	DAVID NICHOLL
7	EOIN HUDSON
8	FRANCIS McKENNA
9	MARK SURGENOR
10	STEPHEN TULLY
11	GARETH MCLAUGHLIN
	Substitutes:
12	DAVID GAGE	9
14	SCOTT LYNAS
15	HUGH BOYLE	5
16	DECLAN McGARRY
17	STEPHEN HOGG	10

 

KEY:

YELLOW CARDS

RED CARDS

SUBS REPLACING NUMBER

GOALS SCORED

BALLYMONEY MAN OF THE MATCH

Tuesday 16 September 7.45pm Kick off at Riada Stadium

Ballymoney United 1 - 2 Portadown

Ballymoney United and Portadown locked horns for the third time in three weeks this time in the league.  With Ballymoney still troubled with a few absentees, the team that lined up against the Ports had a very youthful feel to it. Francis McKenna and Gavin McKinney kept their places in the starting line up with Declan McGarry, Stephen Hogg, Hugh Boyle and Scott Lynas making up the subs bench.

The Ports did not get off to the start they had hoped when after only 12 minutes the home side took the lead. A great through ball from the Stephen Tully in midfield sent lone striker Mark Surgenor past both Andy Hunter and John Convery with Surgenor using his pace to get clear of the defenders. With only the keeper to beat the young striker slotted past David Miskelly to give the home the lead.

The shock of Ballymoney’s opener kicked the Ports into action and they controlled the rest of the play, with Johnny Topley working hard in Midfield and Kevin Braniff proving hard to pick up as his pace and skill was far superior to anything else on show. 
Ballymoney had a great opportunity to go two up on 35 minutes when David Nicholl sent Gareth McLaughlin racing clear, the striker bearing down on goal slipped the ball past the advancing keeper but could only watch as his effort rolled agonisingly wide of the post.

Sproule had the perfect opportunity to pull the away side back on level terms when he was sent through on goal from a lovely defence splitting pass from Braniff but the winger could not beat the keeper who pulled off a great reaction save.

Then the equalizing goal finally came when Braniff had a long range pile driver saved but the keeper could only parry the ball onto the foot of the on rushing Wes Boyle who bundled the ball over the line. Huge sigh of relief from the travelling fans who were thinking that this might turn out to be ‘one of them nights’.

The second half began as the first half ended, with the Ports piling on the pressure to the home sides goal. Andy Hunter could have been the man to come up with the goods when he rose above everyone from a corner and smashed a header on goal with the keeper beaten, only to see the defender hack the ball off the line and clear.

Ballymoney had a chance to go back in the lead when they built a rare attack which ended in Gareth McLaughlin having a pop on goal but Miskelly more than matched it with a solid save, then David Gage’s goalbound header was somehow cleared from under the bar.

Portadown substitutes Aaron Haire and Alan Teggart entered the fray to try and spark some life and pace into the side and both had a chance to get on the scoresheet. First Teggart had a thumping volley blocked by the defender and then Haire got a header in at the back post only to set it ricochet off the defender who had positioned himself on the line.

With striker Haire showing some good touches the Ports looked a pacy threat and it paid off in on the 83^rd minute when Braniff was sent through on goal with a terrific pass from Boyle. Braniff held off the defender and thumped the ball into the top corner of the net.