Match Report

Match : 2nd XI v Ballynahinch 2nds
Date : 2003-02-15
Venue : H
Score : 2-2
Scorers : Young, Nicholl

By Stuart Campbell

A game of two halves.

First half the team was bursting with confidence and played as hard as ever but things didn't quite click. Two short corner goals must have had Hinch thinking this was their day.

Frustration was creeping in but the team weren't turning on each other everyone just wanted to get the machine going that had looked so good in recent tough away matches at Raphoe and Omagh.

The attitude seems to have changed markedly over the new year. Take Andrew Blair, always looking talented, was red carded in the home fixture against Omagh. Last week he just concentrated on his own game, competed for everything, kept the head, didn't dive in, and the only time he left his man was to smack the ball into the net - the kind of guy you hate playing against!

At half time I didn't know we could come back, I knew we would!

Johnty moved out to his favoured left wing and Phil added some pace down the right. Dyanamitee and the defence mopped up every incurssion into our half and the attack's pace and passing cut them into ribbons.

Just desserts then when Young converted a short and Nichol got a second from open play.

Ballynahinch wobbled in defence, their discipline went and they looked like a side fearing the worst. Victory would have came but for some superb goalkeeping. How satisfying to hear a spectator say after the game that the opposition had completely lost it!

In short, top teams are those who can get themselves back into a game when the odds are against them.

Every player on Saturday (1st and 2nd halves) is someone I can say is brilliant in their position, more importantly they all play for each other.

Nicholl