Match Sponsor: Baird's Funeral Service, 71 Church Street, Antrim & 2 Ballynure Road, Ballyclare

Ball Sponsor: Ballyrobert Post Office

Match Photos: to follow

Saturday 6th February 2010 - Ladbrokes.com Championship 1

Ballyclare Comrades team

Subs: 12.Stevie McDowell 14.Simon McGowan 15.Gareth Curlett 16.Johnny Gowdy 17.Keith Armstrong

Glebe Rangers: Maddison, Dobin, Gordon, Moore, Bellingham, Patterson, McVicker, Kennaway, Parkhill, Elder, Wharry - Subs: McCart, Spratt, Brace, Tannahill, Kane.

Comrades substitutions

Andy Forsythe (65')

Simon McGowan (65')

Ricky Moore (65')

Johnny Gowdy (65')

Scott Irvine (74')

Keith Armstrong (74')

Goals

Tommy Elder (10')

Scott Irvine (17')

Stuart McCullough (45+1')

Scott Irvine (51')

Andy Simms (55')

Ricky Moore (64')

Keith Armstrong (81')

Comrades cards

None

Comrades man of the match

Being voted for on the Ballyclare Comrades Forum at irishleaguesupporters.com

Comrades returned to league action after a seven week break with a home match against strugglers Glebe Rangers. The home side were to run out convincing winners after an early scare, to continue their run of fine form.

For this match Gordon Chambers made a couple of changes from the side that had beaten Bangor in the Intermediate cup an fortnight before. David Officer was serving a suspension, so into the team came experienced midfielder Stuart Galbraith. Andy Simms also replaced the Australia bound Keith Armstrong in the starting eleven.

The game started in an even fashion, with the managerless visitors looking determined to make amends for recent poor results and Comrades perhaps taking a while to settle.

It was Glebe who opened the scoring in the 10th minute when McVicker got free down the left and crossed from the by-line to Elder, who powered an unstoppable header into the net from 6 yards.

Comrades reacted well to this set-back and soon had Glebe on the back foot. On 15 minutes they had a chance when an in-swinging Scott Irvine corner from the left found Andy Simms at the near post and his flicked header was cleared off the line just inside the far post.

It wasn’t long, however, before Comrades were back on level terms. A high ball was played towards Ricky Moore at the edge of the Glebe box. He was challenged by a defender and the ball broke to Scott Irvine 20 yards from goal. He then sent a dipping shot goalwards, which looped over the stranded keeper and went into the net off the underside of the crossbar.

Although Glebe showed flashes of attacking threat in the remainder of the first half, mostly through ex-Comrade Parkhill, the home side were now very much on top. They had a chance on 25 minutes, when another dangerous corner from Scott Irvine fell to Andy Long at the back post, but he fired a first-time shot over the bar from 5 yards out.

Glebe were still competing well at this stage and managed to stabilise things from their perspective until the final minutes of the half when Comrades dominance finally told.

Firstly, on 45 minutes, Comrades striking duo Mark McClelland and Ricky Moore linked up well to find a gap in the visitors’ defence, with Moore flashing a shot just over the bar from 16 yards. Then, a minute into first-half injury-time, a free-kick was won wide on the left, about half-way into Glebe territory. Scott Irvine played a beautifully flighted ball into the box where it was met by a glancing header from Stuart McCullough, which flew into the net from 8 yards past the stranded keeper Maddison, giving the young defender his first senior goal.

The second half stated with a brief spell of Glebe resistance, but it soon became something of a procession towards their goal.

In the 51st minute Comrades increased their lead. A swift break up field caught Glebe short at the back. Stuart Galbraith played a through ball to Andy Simms, and with Comrades players outnumbering the Glebe defenders, he squared the ball across the box to Scott Irvine on the right side, who confidently slotted it past the keeper from 11 yards.

The visitors were now a shaken side and Comrades looked likely to score with nearly every attack. A minute later, Ricky Moore turned past his marker and fired a low shot from the right side of the box, which Maddison saved low at his near post. It did not take long, however, before Comrades made it 4-1 on 55 minutes. Once again a Scott Irvine set-piece was to provide the chance. This time another corner from the left found the head of Andy Simms at the edge of the 6-yard box and his back header looped over the keeper and into the net just under the bar.

It was now just a question of how many Comrades would score. They made it five in the 64th minute, when the hard-working Mark McClelland surged past a defender on the right side of the penalty area and played the ball across the 6-yard box to where Ricky Moore had arrived unmarked to score from close range.

With the victory sealed Gordon Chambers took the chance to give his substitutes a run out, including Keith Armstrong, making his last appearance before heading off for a new life in Australia. The young midfielder was to be heavily involved in the remainder of the match.

On 76 minutes a good move ended with him getting on the end of flicked pass from Mark McClelland, but his effort to loft the ball over the advancing keeper from 13 yards out went just wide of the post.

However, Armstrong was not to be denied a departing goal and he struck five minutes later. The ball broke to him on the right side of the box and he clipped a low shot which just eluded the keeper’s dive and went in low inside the far post, much to his and his team mates’ delight.

Comrades continued attacking right to the end and created a couple more chances to add to the scoreline. On 83 minutes, a surging run from Lee Rushe ended with him getting the ball to Stuart Galbraith in the box, but his resulting shot from 14 yards slid just past the post.  Then, two minutes into injury-time, a Darren Munster free-kick cannoned off the defensive wall and the ball fell to Keith Armstrong who shot on target from 20 yards, but Maddison was well placed to save.

The final whistle brought cheers from the appreciative home fans and a very well deserved three points for Comrades.

After a slow start, this was a comprehensive victory for a side which is playing with style, confidence and commitment. They have now scored 17 goals in their last 4 matches and are functioning very well all over the pitch, steamrolling over a shell-shocked Glebe.