League 1C: Bryansburn Rangers 5 Kilroot Rec. 0

1sts “Tour of Antrim” continued with a comfortable 5-0 midweek victory over struggling Kilroot Recreation. 3-0 up after 35 minutes Bryansburn chose to resort to possession football in their own half for the next 40 before closing out the game with two late goals.

            First half saw Morrison open the scoring after 13 minutes with a back-header from a McMullan long-throw and 15 minutes later turning provider with a low cross to Higginson for 2-0. Kilroot forced an acrobatic diving save from Close but despite some tempting misplaced ‘Burn defensive passes they rarely troubled the Bryansburn goal. On a very tight pitch flowing football was in short supply with any heavy touch taking the ball out of play and it wasn’t until the 34^th minute that ‘Burn threatened again with a wide shot from C. Cooling and, moments later, a Morrison lob bouncing off the crossbar. The 3^rd goal finally came when a powerful run from Ballantyne found Morrison who passed to Coard to strike home and take his season’s tally to 9. ‘Burn might have added to their haul in the final minutes of the half with another Morrison header and Coard shot saved but the break came at 3-0 to the visitors.  

            Stannex replaced Coard at the restart but powerful runs from both Higginson and Parkes regularly resulted in a retreat, rather than an effort on goal, as the ball was fed back to the defence and even to the ‘keeper.  A. Cooling, Thompson (replaced later by Mellon), and A. McMullan exchanged passes with R. McMullan and C. Cooling in midfield but only high & wide shots from C. Cooling and Morrison and a failed one-on-one with the keeper from Stannex offered any positive action as the light faded. A brief moment of magic from substitute Patterson, evading 3 tackles before slotting clinically into the bottom corner, shone through the gloom and Morrison took the final score to 5-0 with a repeat of his first header before everyone was released from the ordeal.

            Kilroot deserve considerable praise for sticking to the task against all odds in the last matches of a terrible season and Bryansburn cannot be faulted in collectively doing exactly what was needed to secure a clean sheet and 3 points.