Southside triumph on return to league duty

Southside struggled to find the pace of the game on a very small tight pitch. It was no surprise when Aquinas broke the dead lock on 5 minutes.

This was a wake up call but David Calderwood, alert as always inside the Aquinas penalty area, pulled the team level when he controlled well before calmly firing home.

Ryan Corrigan on the left wing put Southside in front with a bullet shot but poor defending allowed Aquinas to level at 2-2.

On 38 minutes Stewart Nixon scored a remarkable goal - a 30-yard strike which soared into the top corner.

Then only one minute later Leon Bonnes provided an inch perfect pass to David Calderwood who shot home his second of the match.

After weathering the Aquinas storm in the early part of the second half, Southside went 5-2 ahead when Calderwood completed yet another hat-trick.

The scoring was completed with only two minutes remaining when Ryan Corrigan was fouled in the box and the referee awarded a penalty. Up stepped skipper Jonny Logan to calmly fire home.

Southside: Erwin, Henry, Livingstone, Logan(C), McCready, Graham, Bonnes, Nixon, McNiece, Corrigan, Calderwood, McDowell, R Stewart, Kirk, Allen.

* The club would like to extend huge thanks to sponsors Edwin May VW Ballymena and Moore Electrics Ballymena along with everyone who attended the Ritchie Remo Concert night last Wed night in the Braid Centre. A night to remember for a very long time by everyone lucky enough to be there.

* During the week the draw was made for the 2nd round of the NIBFA Cup and Southside now look forward to a trip to Lisburn Distillery on January 4.