Double on cards

Double on cards

11 January 2012 - by DAVID TELFORD

BALLYNAHINCH are odds-on favourites to win the Senior 2 title after seeing off their main title rivals PSNI last weekend.

A week after Mark Graham’s men lifted the Sussex Regiment Cup at the expense of the PSNI on New Year’s Eve, the locals defeated them again in a crucial league game to open up a five point lead at the top of the table.

Ballynahinch were in control for large parts of the game, but were guilty of complacency at times and it’s something skipper Graham won’t tolerate during the season run-in.

The PSNI were missing former Ballynahinch player Michael Scott who suffered a nasty rib injury in the December 31 cup final and the home side struggled at times as the visitors enjoyed most of the possession.

David Ross, who was also injured in the cup final, was still missing and was replaced on the wing by Scott Leitch who did well over the 70 minutes.

Ballynahinch took the lead in the 11th minute with a move started by Leslie Harrison who picked out his skipper, with Graham in turn finding Andy McIlwaine who powered his way into the penalty area, rounding PSNI ‘keeper David Stewart and firing the ball into the net, despite the fact there was a defender on the line.

To the home side’s credit, they made it 1-1 in the 20th minute from the second of two quick penalty corners. The first was saved by Ballynahinch ‘keeper Mark Brown, but the second saw the ball switched and crossed for an unmarked forward at the back post to tap home.

Ashley Brown, who was terrific in the previous weekend’s cup final, was again at his best and started the move which led to Ballynahinch’s second goal seven minutes before the interval.

Brown fed Gary Graham who passed it back to the young defender whose drive into the penalty area was collected by Leitch who slotted home.

Ballynahinch had their tails up and David Bolton, who scored in the cup final, came on in the second half for McIlwaine and within 10 minutes of his introduction fired his side into a 3-1 lead after a powerful run from the once again terrific Stuart Hunter who never stopped running all afternoon.

With five minutes to go, the PSNI made it 3-2 with a goal from a short corner but the home side couldn’t press on to score the equaliser it was searching for.

This weekend it’s Ballymena at home for the locals and while they won’t take anything for granted, there’s another three points there for the taking.

PSNI 2

Ballynahinch 3

SENIOR 2