Match Report

The game started with Dungannon on top for the opening twenty minutes, as the Whites, with the wind behind them were over hitting their passes and the visiting defence coped without any great problem. The visitors took the lead, in the 25th minute, when their right-winger crossed to the far post and the home defence was caught flat, and the left-winger squeezed the ball home from a tight angle. The Whites finally made a few chances for themselves and Johnston was unlucky with a shot from the edge of the eighteen, then McCann screwed one over the bar from six yards out. Having come to terms with the wind the Whites were now posing problems for the visitors, but could not find the finish their build up play deserved, and they went in at half time one down.

The second half was always going to be a battle facing an even stronger wind and pouring rain, but the Whites took the game to Dungannon and began to create numerous openings, the best falling to Black. Put through by West, his shot had the keeper beaten but a defender got a slight touch on it which pushed it just wide of the upright. Then just when it looked like they were pushing for an equaliser, a defender fell on Johnston’s ankle, and he had to leave the field, the Whites having used all their subs. were down to ten men. They Whites continued to push forward, but at times they had to be thankful that they had a good keeper in Wilton who kept the opposing forwards at bay, whenever the visitors broke through. Unfortunately they could not find the elusive equaliser that their play deserved and on an atrocious day they fully deserved that at least.

 

Managers Comments

This was a shocking day to try and play football, the wind played havoc when the ball went into the air, and the referee even considered calling a halt to play in the second half. Unfortunately he didn’t and we could not find the equaliser our play thoroughly deserved. Credit to both teams for at least trying to play football in very poor conditions, and this game showed that we can compete with the best even without any first teamers available to us. Dungannon having just won the George Wilson, beating Glentoran in the final, were a strong unit but we have beaten both of these teams on their home grounds and should take confidence from today’s game. David Wilton had an excellent game in goal, West played exceptionally well, and Black and Johnston never stopped trying to find the goal that would have given us a fair result.

David Taylor