SBYL under 12 first division Report by Robert Morrow
Sat 20th April 2013 – Hydebank 9.00 ko - Opposition – Donegal Celtic
After last week’s capitulation to Immaculata it was essential for the lads to lift themselves off the floor and get back to playing like we know we can. This was our first meeting with Donegal Celtic this season and it was a must-win game if we wanted to achieve our objective of finishing in 2nd place in the league seeing as 1st was now out of reach. After an uneventful first 10 mins or so, it was DC that took the lead when a well-taken corner was volleyed in at the front post. It wasn’t long before we equalized when a lovely through ball by Tom W sent Jamie through on goal. The keeper rushed off his line but Jamie despatched his shot past him to find the net. We played some nice passing football but did not create too many clear cut chances in the first half. The back four of Geo, Paddy, Adam and Josh B were containing the DC forwards fairly well. Josh didn’t have a great deal to in goals. Cameron was given a go up front but was subbed for Euan as he hadn’t been well before the game and appeared to be struggling. Jack made way for Tom Mc in an effort to open the DC defence. However the half finished all square.
Half-time : Holywood 1 , Donegal Celtic 1.
For the start of the 2nd half, Ben came on for Jamie. He played out on the right and Tom Mc went up front. Despite having most of the possession in the first half it was DC who took the lead again early in the 2nd half. A mix-up in defence allowed a DC striker to nip in and score to give them a 2-1 lead. But we didn’t lie down. After some sustained pressure from lads we won a corner on the left. Geo swung it over and Ben bulleted a header high into the net to equalize for us. The game was now swinging end to end but unfortunately it was DC who went ahead again to make it 3-2. Again we came back. Thomas out on the left was having a better 2nd half than the first. He took a pass from Niall and around the edge of the box hit a wonderful unstoppable shot high over the DC keeper to level it for us at 3-3. We were becoming dominant at that point looking for a winner. DC were however still causing us a few problems but Paddy was having one of those games where you just knew nothing was getting past him. And so we entered the last two mins. A draw really wasn’t good enough for us and so we pushed on for a winner. A couple of crosses fell to the feet of Euan and Tom Mc but their well hit shots were unlucky not to find the target. DC scrambled the ball away a couple of times from successive corner kicks. A goal was coming but we didn’t expect it to come so cruelly for DC. An inspired decision(from assistant coach Paul McIlhatton) to move Niall up front paid off when he beat a couple of players and crossed the ball only for it to be turned in to the net by a DC defender. Cruel luck it has to be said. Two nervy mins to go but we held on to win 4-3. A great match and a great win. Four games to go. Will be a great effort if we can win all four.
Final score : Holywood 4 , Donegal Celtic 3.
Goal scorers – Jamie(12 mins), Ben(40 mins), Thomas(50 mins), O.G.(58 mins) .
MOTM - Paddy. A rock in defence. Calm and assured and very brave at times.
Squad – Josh Johnston, Josh Burford, Tom Mc Illhatton, Paddy Crookshanks, George Moore, Cameron Alexander, Ben Murray, Niall Grimley, Thomas Wilson, Jamie Owens, Euan Morrow, Tom Wilson, Jack McNeill, Adam Collins.
