Match Report:

 

The first real chance of the game came in the tenth minute when Mc Quillan broke down the left and fired in a cross, which unfortunately no Whites player managed to get on to the end of, and it drifted out for a bye ball. McQuillan’s pace and trickery were causing the visitor’s defence a lot of bother, and again a good run down the left saw him fire in a shot, which was just off target. At the other end Cliftonville also had their chances to take the lead, but hit the woodwork with a header, and from a free kick Wilton superbly pushed the ball over the bar to deny the Reds a goal. Good work by Catney and Black put Bond away down the right and from the resulting cross, the Reds keeper, Moane, made a super double save, when he firstly blocked a Johnston shot from ten yards, and then as Brannigan pounced on the rebound, he again brought off another good save to keep the score level at half time.

The second half was only ten minutes old when the Reds took the lead, Wilton made a good block on the striker’s shot, but a follow up by the wide man saw him score at the near post from close in. The Whites were undaunted and went in search of the equaliser, and both Johnston and Brannigan went close as they began to get on top again. The pressure was rewarded when a Reds defender handled the ball inside the box, and from the spot West drove the ball under the diving keeper’s body, into the corner of the net. Cliftonville did not lie down and were unlucky with another effort which hit the bar, but the Whites continued pressure told ten minutes from full time, when the home team took the lead through Brannigan. This was another piece of good football, when Catney put Bond away down the right, and his excellent cross was flick headed on by Brannigan, from the corner of the six-yard box, and the ball finished up in the far corner of the net, giving keeper Moane no chance. Both teams battled to the end but no more chances were made and the Whites ran out 2-1 winners.

Managers Comments

A good hard game, which we always get from the Reds, no quarter asked and none given. We played some excellent football at times and just about deserved our win, although the visitors made us work very hard for the result. Catney and Black were excellent in the middle, with McQuillan and Bond ably supporting on the flanks, the back four were solid with Wilton in fine form in goal. Up front Johnston and Brannigan were a handful for the Reds rearguard. A good team performance, especially when we went one nil down, no heads dropped and everyone worked their butt off to get back into the game, and then go on to win it, and not a first teamer in sight.

David Taylor