Month: February 2022

We welcome Queen’s University to Dixon Park tomorrow afternoon in our next Lough 41 Championship fixture.

Match Info

When: Saturday 26^th February – Kick-Off 3:00pm

Where: Dixon Park

What: Lough 41 Championship

Entry: Pay at the gate – £8 (Adult) / £5 (Concession)

Match Sponsor: Metal Technology

Ball Sponsor: SM Plumbing & Heating

The Opponents

Queen’s currently occupy bottom spot in the Lough 41 Championship. With a lot of league games postponed last week due to the conditions, their last outing was away to Dundela where a goal in each half saw Dundela get the better of Queen’s at Wilgar Park. The Duns moved in front after 12 minutes when, following a David McMaster corner, some confusion in the box eventually ended with Michael Kerr getting the final touch to scramble the ball home. That was how it stayed until just after the hour when Spencer Beattie, a recent arrival from Ballymena United, slid the ball into the bottom corner following some good work down the right by Rhys Annett.

The Comrades

The Comrades also had last week’s fixture against Loughgall postponed due to the conditions. Our last outing was the 2-1 away defeat to Harland & Wolff Welders on the 11^th February. Ballyclare started brightly and created a number of half chances during the opening exchanges through Kyle Beggs and Caiolan Brennan. However, somewhat against the run of play, the deadlock was broken on 28 minutes when Gary Lavery fired the Welders in front with an effort from distance which went low and hard under keeper Richard Purcell into the bottom corner. Then, on the hour, Jonny Frazer made it 2-0 with a sweeping right foot finish from just inside the area after Scott McMillan had crossed from the right. The Comrades pulled a goal back ten minutes after that. Brennan sent a corner over from the left which Jason Johnston connected with to head home at the back post.

Last Time Out

The last time these two sides met, Queen’s University took home all 3 points with a two-goal victory over Ballyclare Comrades at Dixon Park. Despite the eventual outcome Ballyclare enjoyed numerous chances during the scoreless first half with Queen’s keeper Daniel Devine doing well to deny Lee McCune, Liam McKenna and Ian Fletcher at various points during the opening 45 minutes. Queen’s moved in front just four minutes after the break through Matthew McManus who got his head to a free-kick delivered from wide on the flank to glance the ball past Richard Purcell. The home side attempted to get back into the game but, once again, Devine was equal to efforts from McKenna and Joe Tully. The visitors doubled their advantage, and made sure of the points, with just under a quarter-of-an-hour remaining. Awarded a spot-kick, Chris Middleton’s initial effort had to be retaken but Purcell saved the second attempt only for Middleton to ultimately find the net on the rebound.

We travel to Lakeview Park tomorrow afternoon to take on Loughgall in our next Lough 41 Championship fixture.

Match Info

When: Saturday 19^th February – Kick-Off 3:00pm

Where: Lakeview Park

What: Lough 41 Championship

Entry: Pay at the gate – £8 (Adult) / £5 (Concession)

The Opponents

The Villagers currently occupy 2^nd spot on goal difference in the Lough 41 Championship. Last week they came out on top of a 5-goal-thriller with victory over Institute at the Brandywell. ‘Stute might have moved in front on 13 minutes when Caolan McLaughlin was upended by Berraat Turker but the Loughgall keeper redeemed himself by saving Gareth Brown’s subsequent spot-kick. The Villagers moved in front just before the half-hour mark through Caolan McAleer when the wind caught his shot to squeeze it past John Connolly. Institute levelled nine minutes after the break with the second penalty of the game, taken this time by Ian Parkhill and dispatched into the bottom corner. Loughgall regained the lead on the hour following a well worked move down the right flank culminating in a close-range finish from Nedas Maciulaitis. Back came Institute to level for a second time when McLaughlin beat Turker with a great first touch and finish. But Loughgall responded to ultimately secure the points with eight minutes to go when the ball fell kindly for Alan Teggart after an initial shot had been kept out.

The Comrades

Last week’s 2-1 defeat away to Harland & Wolff Welders keeps the Comrades in 8^th position in the Lough 41 Championship. Ballyclare started brightly and created a number of half chances during the opening exchanges through Kyle Beggs and Caiolan Brennan. However, somewhat against the run of play, the deadlock was broken on 28 minutes when Gary Lavery fired the Welders in front with an effort from distance which went low and hard under keeper Richard Purcell into the bottom corner. Then, on the hour, Jonny Frazer made it 2-0 with a sweeping right foot finish from just inside the area after Scott McMillan had crossed from the right. The Comrades pulled a goal back ten minutes after that. Brennan sent a corner over from the left which Jason Johnston connected with to head home at the back post. Paul Harbinson understands the task ahead of the Comrades tomorrow afternoon and said his side will “raise their own tempo, raise their own bar, challenge themselves and hold themselves accountable, as will we (the management team) and hopefully we can turn things around into points.”

Last Time Out

The last time these two sides met, Loughgall came away from Dixon Park with all 3 points after defeating the Comrades 3-0. Andrew Hoey opened the scoring for the Villagers after 18 minutes which was how it stayed until early in the second half when Jamie Rea doubled their advantage. Nathaniel Ferris then completed the scoring three minutes from time with a tap in from a Hoey cross. However, Ferris was sent-off not long after alongside Ballyclare’s Jason Johnston after the pair clashed.

We travel to Blanchflower Park tomorrow evening to take on Harland & Wolff Welders in our next Lough 41 Championship fixture.

Match Info

When: Friday 11^th February – Kick-Off 7:45pm

Where: Blanchflower Park

What: Lough 41 Championship

Entry: Pay at the gate – £8 (Adult) / £5 (Concession)

The Opponents

The Welders currently occupy 5^th position in the Lough 41 Championship, just 1 point from second spot. Last week, HW Welders came from behind to defeat Knockbreda at Breda Park. Former Comrades forward, Ciaran Heggarty, fired the home side in front with just under a quarter-of-an-hour on the clock with a half volley from just inside the area after the Welders defence failed to clear a corner. However, the visitors levelled not long after that when Jake Corbett swivelled and turned outside the box to send a great effort into the roof of the net. Then, just before the break, Michael McLellan knocked home what proved to be the winner with a low driven free-kick into the bottom corner of the net.

The Comrades

With no game last week, the Comrades remain in 8^th position in the Lough 41 Championship on 32 points. Our last game saw us share the spoils with Ballinamallard United at Dixon Park in a game which saw the lead change twice. After a number of half chances at either end it fell to the home side to move in front on 37 minutes when Jason Johnston headed home after Kyle Beggs had delivered the ball into the box. It was an advantage the Comrades held until a couple of minutes into the second half when Callum Moorehead nodded past Richard Purcell to level matters. Then, on 64 minutes, Sean McEvoy edged the visitors into the lead with a well executed free-kick from around 30 yards low into the bottom corner. However, it again proved to be a short lived period on top after Andrew Mooney equalised for the Comrades with a left-foot strike from just inside the box after Caiolan Brennan had slipped him through on the left.

Last Time Out

The last time these two sides met, The Comrades staged a late comeback to recover a two-goal deficit and salvage a point from HW Welders at Blanchflower Park. The Welders moved in front on 38 minutes through Alan McMurtry who smashed the ball home from eight yards after receiving a low cross from the left. Josh Boyd doubled the home advantage on 67 minutes with a back post finish when the ball was played across the box into his path. But Ballyclare pulled a goal back just five minutes after that through Liam Hassin with a 25-yard effort into the top corner after a set piece was only partially cleared. And the Comrades secured a point with four minutes left on the clock when Matthew Herron found the net from Tom Mathieson’s cross.