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Match Report · Joined: 25 Oct 2006 Posts: 127

U-18 v Lurgan BBOB Youth
26/01/2009
(Friendly)

Knocknamuckley continued their close relationship with Lurgan BBOB, of providing friendlies for each other on Monday night. Lurgan BBOB Youth provided the opposition for Kncocknamuckley in prperation for their Northern Ireland Cup game next week. The 7-a-side game took place at Cheney Park in Banbridge on a state of the art 3G surface.

The match began as quite an even affair as the two teams sussed each other out. The first chance fell to Knockamuckley after a smart move. Gregg Harrison played a pass out right to Stephen Russell, who put a good cross into the box. The cross was flicked on by Harrison and Stuart Cambell did well to direct his header towards goal, but his effort was kept out by a goal-line clearance.

The next goal mouth action came at the other end when Seth Mathers was forced into a low diving save after the Lurgan BBOB player was afforded too much time and space.

After having soaked up a bit of pressure without conceding many, if any, more chances on goal, Knocknamuckley broke at speed, with John Henderson, Harrison and Campbell all involved. Despite shifting the ball sharply, the break came to nothing. It did however signal a period of Muckley pressure. Following a pass from Simon Grey, Harrison had a chance to shoot but failed to hit the target. Harrison then turned provider, picking out Henderson with a pass across goal, Henderson dragged his shot across goal, but Campbell, despite getting to the ball was just unable to turn the shot goalward as his effort flew over. Campbell had another shot soon after, this time forcing the keeper into a save.

Lurgan BBOB nearly took the lead when their right winger carried possesion before hitting a low hard cross-come-shot across goal. The ball took a defelction, and Mathers was fortunate to make the save afetr readjusting, as the ball canonned off the inside of his leg for a corner. Again the trouble for Muckley came down their left, when the Lurgan BBOB winger curled over a lovely cross, which only needed someone to get a head on it.

In an open period of play Harrison was unlucky to shoot wide, and Lurgan also had an oppurtunity which just missed the target.

Knocknamuckley began to take control of the match. Russell put in a perfectly flighted cross into the box from deep, as Campbell had made an intelligent run, but was just unable to connect as the ball passed in front of him. Muckley looked to have taken the lead when Harrison had a shot from just left of the goal. The Muckley player drove his shot and som how the keeper managed to push it onto the inside of the post and clear the danger. Russell nearly carved out another chance for Campbell, but again Russell's deep cross just eluded Soupy.

After this promising passage of play from the hosts it was bitterly dissappointing to go in at the break one goal down, when confussion seemed to take over in the defence following a rather innocous throw-in. The ball was never cleared properly and a chance eventually fell at the right hand post, which was comfortably taken.

Half Time 1st Knocknamuckley 0 v 1 Lurgan BBOB

Despite the late goal in the first half, Knocknamuckley did not let affect their play in the early stages of the second half.

After an even opening 5 minutes it was Lurgan BBOB who fashioned the first chance of the half. The Lurgan forward had been played in with only the keeper to beat. Mathers reacted quickly and pulled off a brilliant save, one-on-one.

With Mathers having kept Muckley in the game at the back, the forwards responded, and pulled the two saides level. Henderson picked the ball up in midfield and carried it forward, down the left channell. After getting inside the box, the central midfielder sqaured the ball across goal to Harrison, and despite the keeper getting a leg to the shot, he couldn't keep the ball out, and the scores were levelled.

Harrison shot across goal after a Campbell pas had set up the chance. At the other end Mathers pulled off another excellent save, advancing quickly to save a shot at point blank range.

Knocknamcukley began to dominate. A raking Andy Calvert pass picked out Russell, and his cross was volleyed wide by Harrison. Andrew Poole had a shot at goal, while Grey made a telling interception to keep Lurgan BBOb quiet at the other end. Knocknamuckley strung together a lovely move as Harrison passed to Russell who played a smart pass to Henderson who in turn played in Poole, but Pooley was unable to finish the move off.

As time ticked on Lurgan BBOB put a good cross into the box, but lacked someone to attack it, ad had a chance to steal it right at te death, but screwed their volley wide.

This was a very pleasing performance by Knocknamuckley against a more than capable outfit. Knocknamuckley will have to learn from any mistakes made during this game, and learn from all the positives as well as they approach a very important Northern Ireland Cup match next week.

Full Time 1st Knocknamuckley 1 v 1 Lurgan BBOB

Team: Mathers; Grey, Cowan; Russell, Henderson, Harrison; Campbell: Calvert, Poole.

Goal: Harrison

gregg · Joined: 05 Apr 2007 Posts: 16

See when I was playing.... Cool