Sat 3 Dec - 14:00 | Breda Park

Knockbreda 300x300

Knockbreda

Burns 48'

1-1

Ballyclare Comrades

McCurry 62'

BCFC-Crest-150px

Sat 3 Dec - 14:00 | Breda Park

Knockbreda 300x300

1-1

BCFC-Crest-150px

Knockbreda

Burns 48'

Ballyclare Comrades

McCurry 62'

Pre-Match Guide

We travel to Breda Park tomorrow afternoon to take on Knockbreda in our next Lough 41 Championship fixture.

Match Info

When: Saturday 3rd December – Kick-Off 2:00pm

Where: Breda Park

What: Lough 41 Championship

Entry: Pay at the gate

The Opponents

Last week, Knockbreda lost out to Ballinamallard United who came from behind to defeat Knockbreda at Ferney Park. ‘Breda held the advantage at the break when the unmarked Ewan McCoubrey headed past Michael Lynch. The Mallards levelled on 70 minutes after ‘Breda defender Ross McCaughan turned a Peter Maguire effort into his own net. The visitors were reduced to ten men soon after when Tamer Atrach was dismissed for violent conduct before, five minutes after that, Caolan McAleer bagged the winner for Harry McConkey’s side.

The Comrades

Last week, Conall Curran knocked home the only goal of the game as Ballyclare Comrades defeated Institute at Dixon Park. The Comrades man struck on 81 minutes from close range after connecting with a low ball delivered by Kyle Beggs. The result sees the Comrades leapfrog Institute into 6th position in the Lough 41 Championship.

Last Time Out

The last time these two sides met in September, Ballyclare Comrades edged past Knockbreda by the odd goal in five at Dixon Park. The home side moved in front after nine minutes when Darius Roohi converted from the spot after Calvin McCurry had been brought down. And that was how it stayed before a couple of quick goals put Knockbreda in the driving seat. First, on the hour, Ross McCaughan headed home from a corner before, nine minutes later, Karl Hamill connected with a cross from the right to find the net at the back post. But Ballyclare levelled soon after courtesy of Cathal Farren’s far post header … with Joe Tully then grabbing what proved to be the winner on 82 minutes with a 25-yard drive.

Teams

Match Report

Comrades and Knockbreda shared the points after an evenly contested encounter at Breda Park.

The hosts threatened early on when inside two minutes McGreevy shot just wide of the far post from inside the box after a quick break forward.

Comrades then had a period where they had most of the attacking possession. However, the only chance they created during this spell was in the 16th minute when Calvin McCurry received the ball in a good position 9 yards from goal, but his resulting shot was blocked by a great challenge by a Breda defender.

Breda continued to pose a threat at the other end. On 22 minutes they came close when a beautifully struck half-volley from the edge of the box by McGreevy forced Declan Breen to make a fine save to turn ball around the post.

In the 31st minute the visitors, who had been struggling to make much headway going forward, had their best move of the half when after good work on the left by Joe Tully and Liam Hassin, Tully crossed the ball into the box where Calvin McCurry met it with a header which flew just over the bar.

The rest of half was evenly contested with nothing in the way of chances for either side and they went in at the break scoreless.

Four minutes into the second half Breda got the breakthrough. With the Comrades defence stretched Greer got space on the right to play the ball across the front of the goal where Burns arrived at the far post to fire it into the roof of the net from inside the 6-yard box.

A minute later the home side almost doubled their lead when a through ball split the visitors’ defence sending Burns through, but his attempt to chip the advancing ‘keeper saw the ball go narrowly over the bar.

Breda looked the more likely side to get the next goal at this stage and Comrades manager Stephen Small acted, making a triple substation and changing the shape of his side. This worked and shortly after, on 68 minutes, the equaliser came. Good build up play ended with substitute Darius Roohi firing the ball across the box and finding Calvin McCurry who converted with a first-time effort from 6 yards.

Comrades couldn’t quite build on the momentum of getting back on terms to do enough to get all three points in the last quarter of the game and had to be satisfied with a draw, which was a fair outcome on the balance of play.

Media

Match Highlights

Match Reaction