Ballynahinch United Swifts Continue Winning Form Over Annalong

Ballynahinch United 2nds   2  Annalong 2nds   0 The Swifts continued their return to form with a win at Millbridge last Saturday against a workmanlike Annalong 2nds who played good football throughout. The side were missing a number of regulars due to first team call ups and injury however those players who came in gave good accounts of themselves. The game was very close in the first half with the best effort being a long range shot from Jay Smyth which was well saved while Johnny McGreevy had to twice palm shots away for corners. The Swifts had the best opportunity to take the lead when the ever reliable spot kick taker Alan Massey hit the cross bar from a penalty kick awarded by referee Alan McAvoy after Aaron McCaffrey had been upended by the Annalong goal keeper. Annalong almost took the lead themselves in the final minute of the first half when the ball rebounded off the Swifts cross bar with Johnny McGreevy well beaten. In the second half the Swifts came up with a lot more purpose and they took the lead when Alan Massey’s 50th minute corner was side footed into the net by central defender Scott McNeill. Defensively the Swifts tightened up considerably with Greg Allison, Paul King, McNeill and Shaun Bonner decisive when called upon. Jay Smyth in central midfield was ever lively and brought a great save from the Annalong keeper with a second long range drive. Ross Bingham and Matthew Manly were causing a lot of problems on the wings while the hard running of Graeme McMullan and McCaffrey  up front kept the Annalong defence busy. It was teenage Graeme McMullan who made it 2-0 when he ran onto a through pass to slot the ball under the advancing keeper. The same player had another great opportunity later in the game but he placed the ball wide and his strike partner McCaffrey should have opened his account late on. Substitutes Stuart Wilcox, John McMenamin and Lewis Lowey came on for the last quarter and they gave good accounts of themselves in what was a very good team performance which will have pleased manager Davy Teggarty. The first team were defeated by 4-0 by a very strong Lisburn Rangers team and they will have a chance to redeem themselves this week with a home game against Rathfern Rangers. The Albion were left without a fixture when their match against Maghera 2nds was called off by the Council.]]>