Ballynahinch maul young Saints in classy display

11 December 2013

BALLYNAHINCH blasted eight goals past a young Saintfield side at The Demesne last weekend.

But the final goals tally could have been well into double figures if home ‘keeper Alastair Patterson had not been in top form, with the experienced netminder blocking a host of goal-bound shots.

Indeed, it would have been a close call between him and Ballynahinch’s Stuart Hunter for the man-of-the-match award. The visiting midfielder — who was again outstanding — scoring half his side’s goals.

With one eye on the New Year’s Day cup final against Portrush, Ballynahinch gave a run out to number two ‘keeper Dave Chadwick to give him some game time ahead of the final. But the netminder only touched the ball three times during the entire 70 minutes.

The visitors were missing Alex Millar and Andrew Mulholland, but the list of absentees was much greater for Saintfield, with no Stephen Tate, Davy Johnston, Gavin Kirkpatrick or Sammy Davidson to name but a few.

Saintfield knew that with their young starting line-up it was going to be a difficult afternoon and when Hunter went on a run in the first minute the pattern of play was set for the rest of the game.

Two minutes later Hunter was at again. His second mazy run of the game took him into the penalty area, but he inexplicably fired wide. Hunter looked as though he was through on goal for the fourth time in four minutes, but Aaron Kearney produced great tackle to clear.

Seconds later Ballynahinch took the lead and it came as no surprise when Hunter who scored it. Adam McKee started the move which led to the goal, feeding Jason Campbell who teed up Hunter who slipped the ball under the advancing Patterson.

Andy McIlwaine teed up Hunter in the fifth minute but the latter hit the ball on the fly and whizzed past the upright and out of play. Ashley Brown then produced a shot on the reverse which crept past the wrong side of the post.

Ballynahinch skipper Leslie Harrison set his sights on goal from his side’s first short corner of the game in the sixth minute, but Kearney and ‘keeper Patterson combined to block his shot.

Murphy then produced a smart clearance to deny McIlwaine. Campbell should have put his side 2-0 ahead in the 10th minute, but Kearney was in the right place at the right time to clear, before Patterson produced a great save to deny McIlwaine.

Luck deserted the Saintfield ‘keeper in the 15th minute when he allowed the ball to pass him believing it was going out of play. But it struck the post and fell at the feet of Campbell who had the simple task of pushing the ball into an empty net.

McKee’s piledriver was beaten away by Patterson in the 16th minute before the Saints ‘keeper was in the tick of the action again, denying dangerman Hunter. Lawrence Patterson should have put the visitors 3-0 ahead in the 18th minute but he miss-hit his shot. However, the experienced defender made amends two minutes later when he drilled home from a well-worked short corner.

McIlwaine missed an easy chance in the 20th minute before the Saintfield ‘keeper kicked clear from Brown who had ghosted in on the blind side of the home defence. Patterson cleared from Hunter two minutes later before Brown skied the ball over the bar when well placed.

McIlwaine made it 4-0 in the 25th minute after great work by Hunter and then Saints ‘keeper Patterson and defender David Hobbs combined to deny Harrison.

The visitors were awarded a penalty stroke in the 27th minute which Hunter put away for his second goal of the afternoon.

A brilliant run by Brown set up the impressive David Bolton in the 31st minute with the latter poking the ball into an empty net to make it 6-0.

Chadwick was called into action two minutes before the interval when he produced a smart save to deny Lance Walker, before young Matthew McClurg cleared at the other end with Hunter waiting to pounce.

Murphy cleared from Peter Simpson at the start of the second half, while Lawrence Patterson swooped to clear from Walker as he looked to power towards goal before Chadwick was forced to make his second save of the afternoon to deny Harkness.

The Saints ‘keeper produced a brilliant double save to deny McIlwaine in the 49th minute, before Patterson produced another magnificent save to keep out his namesake Lawrence and McIlwaine respectively.

Hunter completed his hat-trick in the 54th minute to make it 7-0 after a brilliant solo run and finish and a minute later the visitors scored their eighth goal through Hunter who grabbed his fourth goal of the afternoon.

With eight minutes to go, Chadwick saved at his near post to deny Frank Adrain a goal and with no clear-cut chances for either side in the final minutes, the contest ended, but great credit to the young Saintfield players. They have been out-classed and over-powered at times, but they never let their heads and are a credit to their club.

Saintfield: Alastair Patterson, Aaron Kearney, David Hobbs, Lawrence Murphy, Matthew McClurg, Craig Harkness, Frank Adrain, Rob Hillis, Paul Fenton, Lance Walker, James Magee.

Ballynahinch: Dave Chadwick, David Ferris, Darren Roe, Lawrence Patterson, Ashley Brown, David Bolton, Adam McKee, Jason Campbell, Stuart Hunter, Andy McIlwaine. Subs: Peter Simpson, Matthew Peters, Stephen Crean.

Saintfield 0

Ballynahinch 8

SENIOR 2

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