Allison bags a hat-trick as United put away ten

Allison bags a hat-trick as United put away ten

15 February 2017

THERE was a goal bonanza at Millbridge on Saturday when Ballynahinch United took the honours in the basement battle with Wellington Rec.

United put their recent goalscoring woes firmly behind them with Greg Allison (3), Gavin Crawford (2), Matty Shaw, Jack Davis and Aaron (2) and Scott Cheevers all finding the target.

This win takes United out of the bottom two, but they are only a point ahead of second from bottom Portaferry who have four games in hand. Saturday’s clash away to Ballywalter Rec is another must win game for United as the Peninsula outfit are five points clear of United in 10th place, but have played two games more.

There was no indication early on that United would go on a goal blitz as Allison, Shaw and Ben Wilson all wasted good scoring opportunities, but all that changed in the 11th minute.

A flowing move saw Shaw and Aaron Cheevers carve Wellington apart and Allison was perfectly placed to finish the move with an unerring finish.

Confidence grew among the Ballynahinch players and Allison doubled his side’s lead nine minutes later after fine approach play from Scott Brashaw. United bombed forward at every opportunity and Allison, Davis and Aaron Cheevers all had good chances, but none were taken.

Further chances fell to Cheevers, Allison, Shaw and Gavin Crawford, but a mixture of bad finishing and good defending saw United head for the break with a 2-0 lead, but right on 45 minutes Shaw crossed to Stuart McMullan and he picked out Allison to complete his first half hat-trick with a well placed header.

It was a similar story after the break as United went for the kill with chief supporter Robert Creighton calling for double figures.

With 49 minutes gone McMullan and Davis worked a short corner routine and Shaw got the goal he deserved when he finished to the net. It was 5-0 two minutes later when the industrious Crawford got on the end of a low cross from Allison, a bit of luck falling his way.

Aaron Cheevers, who never stopped working up and down the flanks, was sent clear by a switch in direction from Shaw in the 56th minute and he beat Scott Harkness all ends up with an angled drive to the net, 6-0.

United relentlessly went for more goals and the enterprising Davis, another product of the club’s youth section, made it 7-0 in the 65th minute after he found a gaping hole in the Wellington defence.

Crawford, who was the mastermind of this performance in the middle of the park, made it 8-0 in the 73rd minute when he dispossessed the Wellington centre half and curled a beauty from the edge of the box past a helpless Harkness.

Davis created an opening for Aaron Cheevers to make it 9-0 in the 83rd minute and Aaron’s younger brother Scott, who was making his first team debut, completed the scoring in the 88th minute after another assist from Davis.

Ballynahinch United: B McMullan, J Davis, S McMullan, S Brashaw, P Dickson, D Tate, G Crawford, B Wilson, G Allison, A Cheevers, M Shaw. Subs: S Cheevers, R Hayes, E Majury.

Wellington Rec: S Harkness, M Holden, J Campbell, P Mawhinney, J McGarrett, J Beggs, R Wilson, M Corvin, J Davison, A Kerr, C Keenan. Subs: A Healy.