Saturday 1st May 2010 - Ladbrokes.com Championship 1

Ballyclare Comrades team

Subs: 12.Neil McGrath, 14.Stevie Bainbridge, 15.Ronnie Burns, 16.Sam McWilliams, Gk.Paddy Flood

Limavady United: Doherty, Walsh, Rodden, McNulty, McConnaghie, Patrick, Owens, Spratt, Jennings, Patton, Hutchinson. Subs - Neill, McNulty, Kelly, Clarke.

Comrades substitutions

Andy Long (26')

Sam McWilliams (26')

Sam McWilliams (46')

Ronnie Burns (46')

Goals

Shane Jennings (2')

Davy Patton (10')

Stuart Galbraith (18')

Ronnie Burns (53')

Trevor Hutchinson (61')

Trevor Hutchinson (80')

Comrades cards

None

Comrades man of the match

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

Comrades remain in the relegation mire, and needing a Bank Holiday win in their last game of the season at Ballinamallard, after a defeat at high-flying Limavady, despite a spirited comeback from a disastrous start.

Gordon Chambers shuffled his pack for this game, lining the side up in a 4-3-3 formation. Stuart McCullough returned to the centre of defence, replacing Gareth Curlett. Stuart Galbraith also came back into the side after injury, with wingers Stevie McDowell and Andy Simms pushed forward more and Ronnie Burns dropping to the bench.

Comrades started brightly enough and in the 2nd minute a good link up down the left involving Andy Simms and Mark McClelland ended with Simms bursting into the box and trying to tee up the well placed Davy Officer, but a defender managed to cut out the danger.

Second later, however, Comrades were behind. A well placed cross from the left found the head of Jennings, who was unmarked to head powerfully past Allen Huxley from 10 yards out.

With the home side looking very dangerous going forward against a rattled looking Comrades’ defence, things got even worse in the 10th minute, when a second goal was scored. Another cross into the box caused havoc and the ball fell to Patton, who hit a neat volley into the net from 8 yards.

In the 14th minute things might have got even worse for Comrades when Limavady broke upfield swiftly from defending a corner and, with the visitors’ defence stretched, Jennings hit a shot from the edge of the box, which was deflected just over the bar.

Things looked bad for Comrades at this stage and fans thoughts started turning to the prospect of a real hiding. However, there was some hope in the fact that the side were looking quite lively going forward. Reward for their enterprise came on 18 minutes when a goal was pulled back. Andy Simms picked up the ball on the left and played a stunning diagonal ball into the box perfectly into the run of Stuart Galbraith, who took it down neatly before drilling a shot past Doherty in the Limavady goal from 6 yards.

The game now had a competitive end to end feel about it and was providing good entertainment for the spectators.

Comrades continued to look capable of creating chances and, in the 21st minute, one came when a corner played into the box broke to Lee Rushe, 8 yards from goal, but he shot over whilst off balance.

Gordon Chambers was forced to make a substitution on 26 minutes, when defensive lynchpin Andy Long was forced to hobble off to be replaced by Sam McWilliams, with Lee Rushe moving to the centre of the defence.

The home side, continued to pose a serious threat to the Comrades goal. On 29 minutes they came close to regaining their two goal cushion when a cross in from the right was met by a stooping header from Patton 7 yards out, but his effort was denied by a fine save from Allen Huxley, who turned it past the post.

With substitute Sam McWilliams forced off himself with injury just before half-time, manager Chambers had to make another change to his line up. Striker Ronnie Burns came on for the second half, with Stevie McDowell having to fill in to an unfamiliar right-back role.

The second period began very positively for Comrades as they took the game to their opponents, with some rousing attacking play. They got their reward in the 53rd minute with an equaliser. Andy Simms was again the provider, this time his cross from the left took a deflection off a defender and fell beautifully at the far post for Ronnie Burns, who stabbed it home into the roof of the net from inside the 6-yard box.

Comrades’ fans now turned to thoughts of an unlikely win, which would have secured the team’s league status. However, a rather soft goal, conceded eight minutes later, dampened their spirits. A throw-in propelled into the box from the right came off the head of Darren Munster and fell for Hutchinson, who hit a first-time volley from 10 yards, which Allen Huxley managed to get a hand to, but the ball went into the net off the post.

This blow deflated Comrades, and despite their best efforts to get back into the game again, the home side were in control of the remainder of the proceedings. They had a good chance to add to their lead on 74 minutes, when a free-kick played into the Comrades box found McNulty, but he scooped the ball over the bar from a good position 8 yards out.

Limavady did get their fourth goal in the 80th minute, to put the result beyond doubt, when Hutchinson received the ball in a position, which looked suspiciously offside, before striking the ball home from 14 yards.

Comrades continued trying to the end to get something more from the game, but found chances hard to come by, with only an 84th minute Mark McClelland effort from 15 yards, which went wide of the target, to show for their efforts.

Although, they showed great commitment and passion for the cause in this game, Comrades again came away with nothing. In a reversal of how things have played out recently, they looked dangerous in attack, but rather shaky in defence. Comrades fans will hope that the side can get things right at both ends of the park on Monday night in Fermanagh.