Match Photos: to follow

Saturday 23rd January 2010 - WKD Intermediate Cup (Third Round)

Ballyclare Comrades team

Subs: 12.Simon McGowan 14.Stuart Galbraith 15.Johnny Gowdy 16.Andy Simms

Bangor: Maguire, Dunlop, Mann, Whiteside, McIntyre, Knox, Maxwell, Scates, Morrow, Upton, Rosbotham.

Comrades substitutions

Scott Irvine (75')

Stuart Galbraith (75')

Mark McClelland (79')

Johnny Gowdy (79')

Goals

Ricky Moore (53')

Mark McClelland (68')

Ricky Moore (84')

Comrades cards

Lee Rushe (23')

David Officer (45')

Comrades man of the match

Allen Huxley

Comrades continued their good form of recent months with a convincing win against Bangor at Clandeboye Park, to advance to the fourth round of the Intermediate Cup.

For this match Gordon Chambers made one change from the side which had performed so well in the Irish Cup the previous week. Into the starting line up at right-back for the first time came recent new signing from Moyola Park, Lee Rushe. There was also the luxury of being able to keep a number of important players in reserve on the bench who were returning from being unavailable for the last game.

The home side started brightly and were on the front foot for the first quarter of an hour. In the 3rd minute Bangor won a free-kick 27 yards from goal and Rosbotham stuck a decent effort just over the bar. Then, on 14 minutes, Scates collected a ball played in from the right and swivelled to strike a low shot from 16 yards just wide of the base of the far post.

Comrades gradually settled into the game and enjoyed a spell on top themselves. In the 18th minute David Officer slid a great ball through to Mark McClelland, who had raced through the square defence only to be denied by a good block at the edge of the box from the alert keeper Maguire who had raced out of his goal.

In the 24th minute David Officer himself produced a good run which took him past three players to a position 13 yards out on the left side of the box, but his resulting shot was not powerful enough to really trouble Maguire.

Comrades were now looking lively going forward and on the half hour another attack ended with Scott Irvine shooting narrowly over the bar from just outside the box.

The last part of the first half was an even affair with both sides playing enterprising football. However, the best effort came from the home side on 38 minutes when a well struck free-kick from 25 yards by Maguire was acrobatically tipped over the bar by the excellent Allen Huxley.

Comrades had a couple of late efforts to go in with a half-time lead. On 39 minutes a swift break up-field caught Bangor short at the back and Keith Armstrong fed Scott Irvine in a good position 10 yards out on the right of the penalty area, but his resulting effort skimmed into the side netting. Then, on 44 minutes, the home side only cleared a Scott Irvine ball into the box from the left out to Keith Armstrong, who struck a fine first time effort inches wide of the foot of the post from 18 yards out.

Bangor started the second half quite brightly, as they had in the first. On 50 minutes a corner was headed just wide by Knox from 6 yards out.

However, it was Comrades who got the breakthrough three minutes later. A free-kick was won on the left wing, level with the edge of the penalty area, and Scott Irvine delivered a teasing ball into the near post area, which was met by a glancing header into the net from 6 yards by Ricky Moore.

Having taken the lead Comrades now had their tails up and looked more than capable of extending their advantage. They should have done so 56 minutes when a great ball by David Officer put Ricky Moore through. He advanced into the box on the right, but delayed too long when in a great position, allowing Maguire to tip the ball away from him whilst diving at his feet amid claims for a penalty.

On 68 minutes, however, Comrades did make it 2-0. A fiercely struck Andy Forsythe shot from just outside the box was blocked by a defender, but the ball looped out to David Officer on the left of the box. He then played the perfect ball across the 6-yard box to where Mark McClelland was arriving and the big striker knocked the ball in confidently first time.

Comrades now looked pretty much in command. On 76 minutes, substitute Stuart Galbraith almost scored with his first touch when he latched onto a clearance from a corner at the edge of the box and returned a low shot which skimmed just wide of the post.

Despite their two goal lead and territorial advantage Comrades were glad of the excellence of Allen Huxley in goal, who prevented a possible Bangor comeback with three superb saves on 81 minutes. Firstly he flew to tip a screamer of shot from 16 yards by Knox wide of the post. Then, from the resulting corner, he produced a great reaction save to keep out a close range header from the same player. Remarkably, from ensuing corner, he made another fine save low on his line to deny a header from Whiteside from 6 yards out.

With Huxley having ensured their comfortable advantage, Comrades went in search of more goals. On 83 minutes Keith Armstrong did well to glance a header into the path of the run of Johnny Gowdy who then shot low from 14 yards, but Maguire was well positioned to save. However, the Bangor keeper could not prevent Comrades’ third goal a minute later. A corner from the right, played in by Johnny Gowdy, found the head of Andy Long. His effort from 6 yards was blocked by the keeper, who was very unfortunate to find Ricky Moore on hand to knock the rebound in with his head from close range.

The game was now definitely over as a contest and Comrades cruised in for a deserved victory which wins a home tie against Donegal Celtic in the net round.

This was another fine performance from a determined Comrades side. Defensively they looked solid, backed by the impressive Allen Huxley. In midfield there are tremendous options at present, with top players to come on from the bench as well. Whilst up front the strikers are amongst the goals and looking dangerous.