Ballynahinch Olympic narrowly beaten by Albert Foundry in tight match
The NAFL Division 1A.
League Match, Kilmore Playing Fields,
Ballynahinch Olympic 1 2 Albert Foundry.
Ballynahinch Olympic welcomed Albert Foundry to Kilmore on a good afternoon for football with both teams keen to move up the table and further away from the drop zone as they lay 9th and 10th in the league respectively writes Cyril McKinney.
The visitors were on the front foot right from the first whistle and had the first chance on 12 minutes when big defender Ian West had a free header at the back post from a left wing free kick but he missed the target completely. A let off for the home side.
As Olympic started to settle into the game, Caolan Burns, the young right winger, enjoyed some success as he cut in from the left wing onto his right and tested Foundry keeper Sloan in the visitors nets with a crisp drive but the keeper saved with ease.
Then the Olympic talisman Nathan Jones found himself one-on-one with the keeper on 28 minutes after a mistake in the visitors’ defence, but the keeper made a great save coming of his line quickly to close down the usually reliable Jones.
At the other end Alert Foundry forward Paul Young turned Jason Noade inside the box on 32 minutes and fired wide of the target when he could have done better.
The visitors pressure paid off on 38 minutes when a right wing free to the back post was headed back across goal by Young and Ian West to there to nod home to give Foundry a deserved lead.
Olympic responded well and two minutes later Nathan Jones dragged a left foot shot wide from 12 yards out with only the keeper to beat.
But, after a period of sustained pressure, he made amends on the stroke of halft-ime. He got on the end of a ball over the top and showing great strength and determination Jones volleyed home to square things up on the whistle.
It was the visitors who had most of the play in the second half without creating any clear cut chances thanks to some resolute home defending.
On 59 minutes after Olympic’s keeper Walsh made a great reaction save from Thomas Ryan he was fouled as he went to release the ball upfield, and the referee showed a second yellow to Dean Spence and the visitors were reduced to 10 men with the game evenly balanced.
This seemed to galvanise the visitors and they reacted with purpose and were rewarded on 65 minutes when a right wing corner was flicked on at the near post and was finished to the net by Ballentine who bravely headed home from six yards out.
Albert Foundry showed great determination to see the game out and although Olympic continued to press, the visitors defence stood firm and restricted the home side to rare sights of goal.
Every referee decision was challenged but the visitors left with the points and at the final whistle both teams exchanged places in the league table.
Ballynahinch Olympic: Ryan Walsh, Connor Reid, Jason Noade, Ryan Molloy, Adam McLean, Chris McNamara, Dalton Tate, Nathan Jones, Caolan Burns, Jack Roddy.
Subs: Niall Murray for Adam McLean, Liam Burns for Caolan Burns, Conor Killen for Jack Roddy,
Albert Foundry: Jonathan Sloan, Aaron Knowles, Bradley McAfee, Ian West, Cameron Croft, Dean Spence, Thomas Ryan, Reece Maxwell, Paul Young, Neil Ballentine, Darren McComb.
Subs: George Graham for Aaron Knowles, Graham Kennedy for Thomas Ryan, Stephen Wilson for Darren McComb.
