Match Highlights: BallyclareComradesTV

Saturday 27th March 2010 - Ladbrokes.com Championship 1

Ballyclare Comrades team

Subs: 12.Sam McWilliams  14.Andy Simms  15.Marty McAvoy  16.Johnny Gowdy  17.Neil McGrath

Armagh City: Morgan, Cusack, McGlone, Eduardo, Stewart, Alexander, Ronilson, Hynds, Kerr, Pique, Sturgeon. Subs - Trainor, Muir, Lopez.

Comrades substitutions

Lee Rushe (70')

Neil McGrath (70')

Ronnie Burns (70')

Johnny Gowdy (70')

Andy Forsythe (80')

Marty McAvoy (80')

Goals

Mark McClellnd (3')

Stuart Galbraith (37')

Mark McClelland (77')

Johnny Gowdy (88')

Comrades cards

None

Comrades man of the match

Mark McClelland

Comrades got back to winning ways with a comprehensive away win over bottom side Armagh City.

For this match Gordon Chambers made a couple of changes to his starting line up. Ronnie Burns came in for his first start after a long absence through injury, replacing Steve Bainbridge, whilst the suspended Simon McGowan was replaced in midfield by Stuart Galbraith, himself making a timely return from suspension. At the back Andy Long and Lee Rushe swapped positions, with Long moving to right-back and Rushe to centre-back.

With the wind at their back and looking to make amends for a couple of recent poor performances, Comrades started on the front foot right from the start of the game. In the second minute Ronnie Burns picked up a ball headed on to him by Davy Officer and neatly turned his marker in the box before shooting low, just wide of the far post, from 11 yards out.

It wasn’t long however, before Comrades had the lead, as a minute later Mark McClelland got on the end of a long high ball pumped upfield by Davy Officer and surged past the hapless home defence before slotting the ball past the advancing keeper.

For a while City settled and began to show some decent passing football, although with a distinct lack of end product when they came up against Comrades’ defence. At the same time the home side looked unnerved by Comrades all action style, which mixed long balls with neat passing moves and constant harrying of the opposition when they were in possession.

Gordon Chambers’ side looked very capable of increasing their lead and were much more threatening in attacking areas. On 29 minutes Davy Officer did well to win the ball just outside the box and make room for a shot, but his effort lacked the power to really trouble Morgan in the City goal. Then, three minutes later, Officer was again involved, crossing from the left side of the box to Scott Irvine, whose volleyed effort from 7 yards went just wide.

Comrades were increasingly dominant, with City providing nothing to worry them at the other end. On 33 minutes Darren Munster fed Ronnie Burns and he turned and shot from 20 yards, his well struck effort going just wide of the target.

It seemed only a matter of time before the men in red got their second goal and it came in the 37th minute. Stuart McCullough won the ball inside the City half and played it to Ronnie Burns, who in turn laid it to Stuart Galbraith whose crisp shot from 20 yards was drilled into the bottom corner of the net past the keeper’s despairing dive.

Comrades continued to press for more goals towards the end of the half. On 40 minutes Stuart Galbraith’s harrying lead to a very poor clearance from an under pressure defender, which only fell to Ronnie Burns at the edge of the box and his attempted audacious first-time flick over the keeper went a yard over the bar.

The second half began with City looking to take advantage of the wind at their back and they proceeded to have a ten minute spell where they looked quite threatening.

In the first minute of the half a long high ball eluded the Comrades defence and the Brazilian Ronilson got his head to it in the box, but he could only guide it wide of the target from 11 yards.

On 49 minutes a neat City move ended with Pique shooting just over from the edge of the box. Then, three minutes later, City wasted their best chance of the game when a good move down the right cut through the Comrades defence and saw Kerr receive the ball in space 10 yards from goal, but he then scooped a rather panicky effort well over the bar, failing to trouble Allen Huxley, who was having a quiet afternoon.

The home side’s chances of a comeback were squashed on 55 minutes when centre-back Eduardo got himself sent-off for an extremely foolish punch to the stomach of Mark McClelland as City defended a corner. The ball was safely in the hands of the keeper when the offence took place. Eduardo not only handed his side a one man disadvantage for the rest of the game, but also gifted a penalty to Comrades. Ronnie Burns stepped up to take the spot-kick, but blasted it against the bar, to the relief of the home fans.

City produced a decent chance on 64 minutes when a corner played in from the right to the near post area found Ronilson and his shot on the turn from the edge of the 6-yard box forced Allen Huxley to make a save.

This was a rare moment of threat from the home side, as Comrades took complete control of the game. A minute later, they might have increased the lead when a cross from the left by Darren Munster found Davy Officer and his first time effort from 7 yards was met by a good reaction save by Morgan.

On 71 minutes Comrades should have been three up. Darren Munster struck a 25 yard pile-driver which forced a fine save from Morgan. The ball rebounded out to Davy Officer who crossed back in towards the 6-yard box, where he found the head of Andy Long, who headed over from a great position 3 yards out.

Four minutes later and the impressive over-worked home keeper was again called into action. A free-kick from the right was played into the far post area by Scott Irvine and met by a fierce volley from Stuart Galbraith 8 yards from goal. The dynamic midfielder’s effort looked set for the back of the net but was kept out by a superb block from Morgan.

Shortly afterwards, however, Comrades did make it 3-0. In the 77th minute lively substitute Johnny Gowdy hit a good low strike from 20 yards that the keeper had to scramble to keep out, however, Mark McClelland was following in and was able to turn the loose ball home from close range.

Comrades kept their foot on the pedal and ran the depleted Armagh side ragged for the rest of the game. On 78 minutes a surging run down the right by the ever impressive Andy Long ended with him finding Mark McClelland in the box and the big striker turned and shot from the right corner of the 6-yard box, his effort going just wide of the far post. Then a minute later Long was again the provider, his incisive ball finding Johnny Gowdy in acres of space and with only the keeper to beat, but he steered his effort disappointingly wide of the post from 12 yards.

Mark McClelland came agonisingly close to his hat-trick in the 79th minute when he burst through on the left side of the box and struck a shot which cannoned off the near post.

At the other end City half a rare chance on 80 minutes when corner was met by a stooping header from Ronilson from 7 yards, but Allen Huxley was well placed to save comfortably.

On 83 minutes a Johnny Gowdy effort from 25 yards went just over. Then, two minutes later, the game but well beaten home side had a half-chance when Trainor beat a couple of men down the right and played the ball to Lopez in the box, but he then scuffed a shot wide from 8 yards.

Comrades emphasised their dominance of the game in the 88th minute with a fourth goal. Scott Irvine was the provider, crossing from the right to Johnny Gowdy, whose excellent header from 9 yards was perfectly placed to go over the keeper and high into the net.

The home side lost Stewart to injury before the end and having made all three substitutions finished the game with nine men. They were relieved to hear the final whistle in a game where Comrades could easily have double their tally of goals.

This was a pleasing performance from Comrades who were far from flattered by the four goal winning margin. From the start they looked like a team pumped up to respond positively to a couple of recent poor results. They did not allow the home side the time or space to play and themselves looked dangerous throughout the game.