Match Photos: Graeme Bolton Photography

Saturday 31st October 2009 - WKD Intermediate Cup (First Round)

Ballyclare Comrades team

Subs: 12.Scott Irvine  14.Andy Forsythe  15.Kyle Agnew  16.Anto Crawford  17.Ricky Moore

Comrades substitutions

Johnny Gowdy (64')

Kyle Agnew (64')

Andy Simms (81')

Scott Irvine (81')

Ronnie Burns (81')

Anto Crawford (81')

Goals

David Officer (2')

Johnny Gowdy (58')

Anto Crawford (87')

Comrades cards

Ronnie Burns (30')

Comrades man of the match

Simon McGowan

Comrades advanced to the second round of the Intermediate Cup with a comfortable 3-0 win at Brantwood on wet day at Skegoniell Avenue.

With Stuart Galbraith unavailable, Gordon Chambers made one change to the side which had performed well against Ards the previous week; Simon McGowan returning after suspension and injury to take up a position in midfield. Despite the return of club captain Andy Forsythe after suspension, Darren Munster, who has been performing well at left-back, kept his place, with Forsythe on the bench.

The game kicked off in decent enough weather conditions and it could hardly have started better for Comrades, as they grabbed the lead as early as the second minute. A corner played in low from the left by Johnny Gowdy was flicked on by Andy Simms and fell to David Officer, who slammed the ball into the roof of the net from 8 yards out.

Comrades fans might have now been expecting a rout, but to their credit Brantwood reacted well to the early set-back and, despite Comrades having most of the possession, they were prevented from making too many further chances in the first half.

In the 8th minute there was a half chance for Mark McClelland when he got his head to a deep cross from the left from David Officer. However, the big striker could not direct his effort from 11 yards on target.

The home side began to settle into the game and create some problems themselves.  In the 15th minute, a long ball played from the back eluded the Comrades defence and Matt Armstrong found himself in the clear, but his attempt to lob the advancing Allen Huxley from the edge of the box went over the bar. Then, three minutes later, Armstrong did well on the left side of the box to make a chance for himself from 6 yards, but he was foiled by a good block from Huxley.

As the half progressed the weather deteriorated badly, with torrential rain making conditions very difficult and sending the fans scampering for the limited cover. Play became very scrappy for the remainder of the first half and although Comrades had most of the attacking possession, they were let down too often by poor final balls and wayward crossing.

The only chance of note for the rest of the half for either side came in the 34th minute when the energetic David Officer surged to the right side of the 6-yard box and looked to pick out Mark McClelland, who would surely have scored from close range, but the ball was punched away from his head by keeper Dempster.

The heavy rain had began to wash away the markings on the pitch and the referee demanded that they be re-done, which lead to a 25 minute delay in starting the second half.

When the game did eventually recommence, Comrades had the better of it. On 51 minutes a long throw into the box from Ricky Lecky was flicked into the path of Mark McClelland, whose scuffed shot from an angle 5 yards out was blocked at the near post by the keeper.

Comrades gave themselves some breathing space with a second goal on 58 minutes. Again a Ricky Lecky throw into the box caused problems for the home defence and was only cleared back to Leckey, who sent a teasing cross in from the left for Johnny Gowdy to score with a stooping header, 4 yards out at the far post.

Comrades now looked in control and they soon had chances to increase the lead. In the 62nd minute an Andy Simms free-kick played into the box found the head of Andy Long, whose effort from 8 yards was on target, but too close to the keeper. Then, a minute later, a superb run from the halfway line, down the middle of the pitch and through a number of tackles by Andy Long, ended with him getting in an effort from 15 yards, which the Dempster did well to block.

Despite Comrades looking fairly comfortable, the home side still showed some enterprise going forward. On 65 minutes a good move ended with Johnny Armstrong shooting just over from the edge of the box.

Comrades had a good chance to put an end to the home side’s hopes on 71 minutes when another Ricky Lecky throw into the box; proving a very useful weapon in this game; was flicked on by the head of Mark McClelland and found David Officer 8 yards out, who shot over from a good position. Then, two minutes later, Andy Simms pulled the ball back to Darren Munster from a corner and he struck a shot from 18 yards which went just wide of the post.

With thunder rumbling overhead, the home side then had a decent spell and forced a couple of good saves from Allen Huxley. Firstly, on 76 minutes, Walsh was slid in by a ball fed to him to the right sedge of the 6-yard box, but Huxley produced a smart block at his feet as he shot. Then, three minutes later, Michael McCartney produced a good curling effort from 16 yards, which Huxley was at full stretch to tip over the bar.

Substitute Anto Crawford was introduced in the closing stages of the game and he produced a cameo performance which sealed the win for his side. In the 87th minute, a long clearance from Niall Devine was latched onto by Crawford, who outpaced the defence and slotted the ball calmly low past the advancing keeper from 16 yards.

Comrades could have added more before the final whistle. On 89 minutes a good 20 yard strike by Simon McGowan whistled just wide of the target. The, a minute into injury-time, Anto Crawford found himself through on goal again, but having slid the ball wide of the keeper he saw his effort cleared off the line by Faulkner, with Mark McClelland poised to pounce. From the resulting corner, played into the box by Ricky Lecky, Mark McClelland headed wide from a good position 7 yards out.

The game home side almost got a consolation goal in the dying seconds of the match when Heatley shot from 8 yards, but his effort was blocked by the legs of Allen Huxley.

This was a solid enough performance from Comrades in a potential banana-skin tie. Conditions were far from ideal, but the side produced a committed display against opponents who were fired up for the game, with Comrades’ extra quality telling in the end.