Ballymena & Provincial League: Winless streak goes on for locals

Elsewhere, Raceview’s hopes of turning around their season following their first victory last week were short-lived as they fell to another defeat, this time 2-1 at home to Ballynure Old Boys, who have taken over the lesdership of the Michelin Athletic Club-sponsored championship.

It means that the trio of Ballymena sides in the intermediate division occupy three of the bottom four places in the table, in what must be the most miserable start for local teams in many years.

FIXTURES

Matches involving locally-based sides this Saturday, October 6, are:

Intermediate League: Clough Rangers Athletic v Brantwood; FC Ballynure v Carniny Amateurs; Raceview v Dunloy.

Junior Division Two: Carniny Amateurs II v Ballyclare North End; Chimney Corner Res v Ballynure Old Boys ‘B’.

County Antrim Junior Shield: Antrim Rovers v Sirocco Works II.

INTERMEDIATE LEAGUE

Clough Rangers Athletic 2, Carniny Amateurs 2: Both teams gave it their all during the entire 90 minutes with a draw probably a fair result to both teams.

Carniny took the lead after David Hannah scored on the 16th minute and held this until Ricky Reid scored the equaliser for Clough on the 38th minute.

Half-time saw the teams still level then on the 53rd minute David Hannah scored his second goal in the game putting Carniny back in front.

Time was then beginning to run down when Clough were awarded a penalty which Ricky Nicholl converted on the 77th minute.

Raceview 1, Ballynure Old Boys 2: This was a very tight game and it was a late goal that decided the result in favour of Ballynure when a draw appeared to be on the cards.

Ballynure took the lead when the ex Mallusk Athletic striker Ross Middleton scored on the 22nd minute but Raceview hit back soon afterwards with Colin Craig scoring on the 30th 
minute.

Half-time saw the teams still locked together and this scoreline remained until a corner from Josh McIlroy deceived keeper Scullion on the 85th minute nestling in the top corner of the net to win the game for Ballynure.

Other results: FC Ballynure 1, Newtowne 6; Magherafelt Sky Blues 0, Dunloy 3.

JUNIOR DIVISION ONE

Results: Larne Olympic 1, Ballyclare Comrades Reserves 2; Mallusk Athletic 2, Antrim Rovers 0; Desertmartin Swifts 3, 3rd Ballyclare Old Boys 0; Ballymoney United Reserves 1, Magherafelt Sky Blues Reserves 5.

JUNIOR DIVISION TWO

Chimney Corner Reserves 5, Carniny Amateurs II 1: Carniny received an early set-back when they had a player dismissed in the 10th minute which gave them an uphill task to
overcome.

Corner took the lead after Kieran Faith scored on the 35th minute but Carniny came back with Dean Dunlop scoring the equaliser on the 40th minute.

Half-time was almost reached when Steve Moore put Corner back in front on the 44th minute.

With the extra man Corner had the best of the attacking play in the second half scoring three more goals through Ryan McAuley, Simon Brown and an own goal.

Ballynure Old Boys ‘B’ 2, Wakehurst Strollers 1: Both teams went for goals from the kick off and this led to Steven Caldwell opening the scoring for the Old Boys.

Strollers hit back with John McCollum scoring sending the teams in level at half-time.

The second half saw lots of chances created but the only one converted was by Adam Stewart sealing the win for Ballynure.

Other results: Woodlands 0, 1st Mossley YM 1; Ballyclare North End 4, Red Star 2; Carnmoney FC 3, York Road Loughside ‘A’ 10.

JUNIOR DIVISION THREE

Results: Cookstown RBL 2, AFC Carrick 1; FC Whiteabbey 5, Encore FC 3; Sport & Leisure Swifts Reserves 5, FC Ballynure Reserves 4.