Ballynagross remain clear at top of table

11 February 2015

BALLYNAGROSS finally got a sizeable monkey off their back when they beat Castlewellan for the first time in this enthralling top of the table clash at the Bridge Centre, Killyleagh, on Saturday.

Ballynagross are now five points clear at the summit from second-placed Mourne Rovers, who have two games in hand, and 14 points clear of Castlewellan, who have five games in hand.

But there is still an awful lot of football yet to be played and this title race is certainly going to the wire.

Ballynagosss manager Liam Craig produced a piece of tactical genius in his game plan by using Kevin Gracey in midfield alongside Ritchie Fryer, Matt McGaritty, Matt Rooney and Matthew Taggart.

A subdued Castlewellan struggled to come to grips with Ballynagross' five-man midfield and they continually tinkered with their own formation in a bid to negate Gracey's influence on proceedings.

Both sides started well in a bright, breezy opening. Donagh Steele had a shot saved by Conor McAllister at one end and at the other Aidy Burns saved from Jason Dagens.

With seven minutes gone Rooney, who pushed up a lot to join Dagens in attack, picked out his strike partner out on the left hand side of the box, but Dagens saw his cheeky lobbed effort go narrowly over the top.

The opener came two minutes later when Burns did well to save a stinging shot from Fryer, the heartbeart of Ballynagross's challenge. Taggart was on to the loose ball in a flash and drilled it back across the face of the goal for Fryer to stab home.

Ballynagross now had their tails up and at this stage of the game they wanted victory much more than Castlewellan did. Rooney chanced his arm from distance before Castlewellan survived a hectic goalmouth scramble when Fryer really should have scored from close in.

The home side continued their onslaught and with 35 minutes gone a Fryer header was cleared off the line by Davy Gilmore, but the second goal wasn't long in coming and four minutes later Taggart was there to finish off Fryer's ingenious approach play.

Never write Castlewellan off, though, as they pulled a goal back 30 seconds into the second half when John Clarke volleyed home after Ballynagross failed to deal with a long throw from Barry Travers.

Castlewellan were now asking the questions, but it was Ballynagross who scored next when McGaritty netted after Donal McKibben slipped in the box when trying to clear a cross from Taggart, 3-1.

With 61 minutes gone it was 3-2 when Ballynagross got in a tizzy at the back and Daniel Morgan punished them when he converted from close in.

Back came Ballynagross and Dagens was desperately unlucky to see his screamer crash off the post with Burns nowhere.

Gilmore then missed a sitter at the opposite end as Castlewellan pushed and pushed for the equaliser.

Ballynagross defended stubbornly with Aaron Beattie, Chris Fryer, Stephen Sloan and Ryan Burns all in commanding form.

With time almost up, Dagens took centre stage. He took advantage of Castlewellan pushing forward and when Fryer played the ball out wide to him on the halfway line it seemed he was taking it to the by-line to play out time.

No such negativity from the hustler. He beat Clarke and Barry Travers for pace, bolted away, cut inside and without even looking up, drilled in a beauty via the back stick for a sensational strike to secure a much-needed win.

Ballynagross: C. McAllister, R. Burns, C. Fryer, S. Sloan, A. Beattie, R. Fryer, M. McGaritty, K. Gracey, J. Dagens, M. Taggart, M. Rooney. Subs: G. Taggart, K. Taggart, E. McEvoy.

Castlewellan: A. Burns, B. Travers, D. McKibben, N. Toner, J. Clarke, D. Steele, S. Tierney, D. Gilmore, S. Russell, D. Morgan, S. Trainor. Subs: L. Ward, A. Kelly.

Ballynagross 4

Castlewellan 2

NEWCASTLE LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION

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