Match Sponsor: Forsythe & Stewart Accountants, Main Street, Ballyclare - Tel 93322629

Ball Sponsor: Cornerstone Cafe, Main Street, Doagh

Match Photos: Graeme Bolton Photography

Match Highlights: Editor: Graeme Bolton, Cameraman: Ryan Tweedie 

Match Highlights sponsored by Ballyclare Comrades Supporters Club                    Tape sponsored by Ballyclare Comrades Supporters Club 

Saturday 28th November 2009 - WKD Intermediate Cup (Second Round)

Ballyclare Comrades team

Subs: 12.Johnny Gowdy  14.Darren Munster  15.Mark McClelland  16.David Officer  17.Keith Armstrong

Comrades substitutions

Andy Long (46')

Darren Munster (46')

Ricky Moore (67')

Mark McClelland (67')

Scott Irvine (79')

Johnny Gowdy (79')

Goals

Ballyclare Comrades - Ronnie Burns (18')

Newbuildings United - Stephen Curry (28')

Ballyclare Comrades - Scott Irvine (55')

Ballyclare Comrades - Andy Simms (61')

Ballyclare Comrades - Darren Munster (73')

Comrades cards

None

Comrades man of the match

Simon McGowan

Comrades advanced to the third round of the Intermediate Cup with a repeat scoreline of their Irish Cup victory over the same opposition last season. However, it took a good second half performance, to shake off the challenge of the team from the North-West.

Gordon Chambers made a number of changes to his side, with Mark McClelland and David Officer dropping the bench, possibly to rest them for next week's league game against local rivals Carrick. Into the starting line-up came Ronnie Burns and Andy Simms. With captain, Andy Forsythe, unavailable changes were also required in defence, with Sam McWilliams coming in at right-back and Ricky Lecky swapping over to the left.

Comrades started the game on the front foot, although they perhaps lacked the fluency of previous weeks. On 11 minutes they had their real first attempt on goal, when a Stuart Galbraith cross from the left found the head of Ricky Moore, but his header, under challenge, from 10 yards went over the bar.

The visitors had started tentatively, but gradually found their feet going forward and in the 12th minute they tested Allen Huxley, when Gregory McIvor hit a well struck shot from 16 yards out, but the keeper was well placed to make the save.

In the 18th minute Comrades broke the deadlock. A diagonal ball from Simon McGowan split the Newbuildings defence and found the run of Andy Simms on the left. He then advanced into the box and hit a shot which a defender cleared from in front of the goal-line, but the ball was only cleared out to Ronnie Burns who struck it into the net from 13 yards.

The visitors reacted well to this set-back and continued to grow in confidence, posing a threat to the Comrades defence. On 24 minutes a free-kick played into the box was met by a header from Gregory McIvor unmarked 7 yards from goal, but his effort went over the bar, to the relief of the home fans.

However, there was to be no such escape six minutes later, when a neat move from Newbuildings ended with Curry striking a crisp shot wide of Allen Huxley from 12 yards to give his side an equaliser.

The remainder of the first half saw Comrades frustrated as the visitors held their own to go in deservedly level at half-time.

Gordon Chambers was forced into a half-time change, with team captain Andy Long having to retire injured. Darren Munster came on at left-back, with the versatile Ricky Lecky moving to centre-back.

The manager may also have had a few words with his team after a rather below par first half performance. After a quiet start to the second half, the players began to crank up the pressure and the visitors could not live with it.

The lead was regained on 55 minutes, when a ball from Darren Munster found Andy Simms, who had beaten the offside trap and, with the Newbuildings defence split asunder, he then squared the ball across to Scott Irvine, who finished calmly with a shot past the keeper from 12 yards.

Comrades were now well on top and it was not too long before they had a two goal cushion. On 61 minutes a great break by Scott Irvine left the visitors defence for dead and he then returned the favour for Andy Simms, setting him up for a chance from the right of the six yard box, which he took with some ease.

The home side continued to dominate and, whereas Newbuildings had posed a threat in the first half, they could not come close to breaching the Comrades defence in the second, despite their best efforts.

It was really now a matter of how many Comrades would win by and on 73 minutes they capped a good second half display with a fourth goal. Again Andy Simms was involved; this time he whipped in a perfectly flighted free-kick from the right which was met by a great header from Darren Munster, who had cleverly eluded his marker, and the ball flew into the net from 7 yards.

Comrades might have had another goal in the 80th minute, when a powerful rundown the right by Mark McClelland took him past the visitors left-back and he then had the presence of mind to cut the ball back to Stuart Galbraith, well positioned in the centre of the box, 12 yards from goal. However, Galbraith’s resulting first-time shot was sliced wide of the far post.

The visitors managed to survive the remaining minutes without further damage, but Comrades had emerged as comfortable winners in the end, after a more evenly matched first 45 minutes.

Comrades’ second half performance, showed poise and a good deal of incisive attacking play, which had been somewhat lacking earlier on. They can be content with the result and in extending their unbeaten run to six in all competitions.