League 1C: Dromore Amateurs 0 Bryansburn Rangers 4

1^sts late run of form continued with a 4-0 away victory over Dromore Amateurs making it 3 wins and two clean sheets in a row for the first time this season.

‘Burn were slow to start, as always, with Dromore’s long ball game giving defenders A. Cooling, Gray, Morrison and McMullan plenty to do while the midfield looked on. A single well-worked break down the right involving Ballantyne and Coard led to C. Cooling shooting high after 13 minutes but the home side had the better of the first half hour. 16 minutes saw a cross drift dangerously close to the Bryansburn crossbar, a 21^st minute break forced keeper Close into a fine one-on-one block with Morrison making a goal-line clearance from the striker’s second attempt and with Dromore very much in control ‘Burn were on the back foot. Welcome relief came after 31 minutes when Coard broke down the right and crossed for Thompson to step over and Tolson to slot home for his 5^th of the season and a 1-0 lead against the run of play.  The half petered out with Dromore continuing to press, with no product, and ‘Burn’s wingers unable to provide a good service on the break to strikers Stannex and Coard. Half-time 1-0.

Bryansburn were quickly out of the blocks in the second half catching Dromore cold. An early free for C. Cooling tested the keeper but his second found Morrison who clipped in at the near post for 2-0 with 47 played. Worse was to come for Dromore when, 4 minutes later, a Ballantyne cross hit a defenders hand and the referee pointed to the spot for a hotly-contested penalty. After a short stoppage to discuss the issue and present appropriate yellow and red cards to the delegates, the game resumed with Morrison converting from the spot for 3-0 with 40 minutes to play. With the home side rattled ‘Burn continued to press and first Coard, denied by the keeper’s finger-tip when one-on-one with the keeper, and Stannex, finding both the net and the off-side flag after a neat interchange between Morrison, Coard and Tolson, could have taken them clear. R. McMullan made a welcome return, replacing Coard on the hour mark, Scott came on for Stannex and again ‘Burn were unlucky when Thompson fed Stannex only for the keeper to make another good save. Jones came on to give the impressive Gray a rest and in the 80^th minute Morrison completed the scoring, his hat-trick and 27^th of the season when heading home from a corner and a 4-0 lead. Completing the afternoon’s success Close made a brilliant save from a final Dromore effort to keep a clean sheet for Bryansburn for only the fourth time this campaign.

Best for ‘Burn: Morrison with impressive contributions from Gray, A. Cooling and, briefly, much missed midfielder R. McMullan.