It was a 9am kick off at Billy Neil pitches on the outskirts of Dondonald for Willowbank Under 18/19’s as they came up against Carryduff on Saturday a week after they dropped points for the first time this season due to a scoreless draw against Larne. The boys knew that a higher level of performance was required of them if they wanted to continue their unbeaten record and lift the South Belfast Premier League title. As the game kicked off you could see that the Bank where determined to put right the weeks previous result however it was the home side that where to take the lead when a misjudged header from Conor Loughran seen the ball fall to the Carryduff number 9 who went through on goal and played a square pass which took stand in Keeper Christopher “Mini” Heaney out of the equation and gave his team mate the simplest of finishes to put his side into a surprising lead! The Bank coaches were not best pleased with this and made sure that their side in no uncertain terms were aware. Willowbank reacted well to going behind and right from the centre they had an attempt on goal when the ball was knocked out wide by Nathan “Sanchez” Garland-O’Neill to Kevin “Stu” Stewart who drove down the line cut inside the fullback and had a pop at goal which forced the keeper into a save. This was a statement of intent as Willowbank were to pin Carryduff in their box and it was only a matter of time until the league leaders got their equalizer. The second goal of the game seen skipper Sanchez display his wonderful range of passing as he played a short one two with Mick Dorrian in the middle before opening up play as he fed a long ball into the path of Ryan Hanna who continued his run of good form of 7 goals in 7 games by making it 8 out of 8 games and pulling his side level. From here on in it was one way traffic with Willowbank on the hunt for the lead and they didn’t have to wait for long as Hanna once again found time and space after a nice pass from Brian Kennedy give the striker a chance to use his pace to get away from the defense as he kept his head to comfortably put the ball beyond the reach of the Carryduff keeper. Willowbank were to double their lead as Hanna was to round off one of the quickest hat tricks of his young career when Ryan McAreavey went by numerous players on the right flank and had time and space to pick out Hanna as he pulled the ball back for a simple finish. Not one to be outdone leading goalscorer Stu rounded off the scoring in the first half at 4-1 when Dorian in his first match back looked slick and he took 3 players out of the game with an incisive through ball for McAreavey to latch onto before squaring the ball to Stu at the back post for a simple tap in.
The second half started much as the first went with Willowbank ruthless, showing no mercy and comfortable on the ball in every position even in goal where stand in keeper Mini was not afraid to receive back passes and spread play from goal. This along with the defenders composure and ability to pick a pass saw the possession stats rise and rise and it looked only a matter of time before the boys from the Falls scored again. And it was to be the Stu again to double his tally for the day when he rounded off a jinking run as he cut inside off the left flank before unleashing a hammer of a strike inside the area right up the net. The provider for the majority of Willowbank’s goals this season have came from the right wing where Ryan McAreavey has been devastating defenses but the provider turned goalscorer when Hanna slid a nice through ball for the winger to meet with a well timed run that left the opposition stranded as he rounded the keeper before sending the ball across the line. Stu was to round off a hat trick for himself in this game when an almost identical situation as his first goal with Mcareavey putting the ball across goal to the back post where Stu had to finish from all of 5 yards out. Carryduff got one rare sight of the opposition goal from a corner but it amounted to little as stand in keeper Mini came off his line, rose above the crowd and claimed the cross as he clutched the ball into his chest looking as much at home in goal as he is at full back! Mini launched a counter attack from the corner with Sanchez pinging a great ball out right to McAreavey who done all the leg work and then putting another chance on a plate for Stu at the back post to finish off. The scoring was finished at 9-1 when Sanchez got the goal he deserved for his tireless work in the middle of the park and composure on the ball to pick out passes time and time again lead to so much attacks. It was nearly double figures when Eamo McFadden went on a powerful run into the box and was took out by two opposition players but the referee showed a little bit of sympathy for the losing side as he blew the full time whistle instead of giving the penalty. Men of the match, Sanchez who didn’t got 2 assists and more importantly was the catalyst in the middle of the park starting the attacks with incisive passes through the Carryduff lines to the wingers & Ryan McAreavey who set up four and scored one himself to cap off a magic match for him.
Squad:
Christopher “Mini” Heaney, Conor Loughran, Eamon McFadden, Emmet Llewellyn, Paul Christie, Nathan “Sanchez” Garland-O’Neil, Mick Dorian, Brain Kennedy, Ryan Hanna, Ryan McAreavey, Kevin Stewart, Michael “Savo” Savage
GOTB!!
