Ten men ’Stute win five goal thriller

However with the game poised at 1-1 and the Waterside men being reduced to ten men following Stephen Parkhouse’s sending off, ’Stute’s title challenging could have caved in, but credit to them, they knuckled down and scored twice before holding on for a 3-2 victory.

The success sees ’Stute leap frog Carrick Rangers back into top spot and in doing so moved a point clear.

Paul Kee’s side started well and they went close when for the second home game in a row a Michael McCrudden corner was cleverly cut-back to Parkhouse, but the big striker’s well hit shot was superbly tipped over by Comrades goalkeeper Paddy Flood.

With Stephen O’Flynn along with Parkhouse going close twice, as the home side started brightly, it was a case of sods law as the visitors broke the deadlock.

Donal Smith’s latched onto a long ball which caught out the ’Stute back-line but his effort was kept out by keeper Michael Doherty, however Mark Wilkinson was on hand to turn home the loose ball.

Credit to the Waterside men who levelled things following a trade mark flowing move.

Graham Crown played a one-two with Darren McCauley down the right his centre was cleverly dummied by McCrudden at the penalty spot and an unmarked Parkhouse calmly controlled the ball before side footing past Flood.

Right on the stroke of half-time the usually reliable O’Flynn missed a golden chance when he found himself some space in the Comrades box to latch onto Ryan Varma’s cross-cum-shot, but he only managed to divert the ball over the bar from close range.

Things didn’t start well for the Drumahoe club as they were reduced to ten men after Parkhouse was shown a straight red card by referee Danny Colton after clashing with Ballyclare’s Kyle Buckley and to make matters worse McCrudden had to be replaced by Stephen Curry.

Incredibly it was the ten men who took the lead when centre-back John Curran made no mistake to turn home Curry’s corner.

’Stute increased their lead on 56 minutes when McCauley’s long range drive seemed to catch out Flood as the keeper didn’t move as the ball flew past him on it’s way into the net.

On 74 minutes Comrades were inches away from pulling one back but Simon McGowan’s free-kick whistled just past the post.

Comrades did score a second from the penalty spot on 85 minutes when Curran brought down Jonny McClurg inside the box and referee Colton pointed to the spot, from which Chris Trussell coolly side footed home from 12 yards.

However that successful spot-kick was the visitor’s final real opportunity of the game.

Institute: Doherty, Crown, McLaughlin, Curran, McKeever; McCauley, Walsh, Varma, McCrudden (Curry 50); Parkhouse, O’Flynn (Hume 79).

Ballyclare Comrads: Flood, Doherty, Buckley, McGowan, McCart, Forsythe (McClurg 63); Smith, Young (McAlea 80); Trussell, Wilkinson (Gray 75), Simms.

Referee: Mr Danny Colton.