Author: Paul Jenkins

Comrades secured a morale boosting win on a hot sunny day at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium.

Before kick-off everyone in the ground paid respect with a minute’s silence to respected referee Keith Kennedy who died suddenly earlier in the week.

Once the game got underway the hosts had most of the play in the early stages. Comrades took a while to get going and rarely got out of their own half in the first 10 minutes. Institute whilst having a lot of the ball did not provide much threat on the visitors’ goal. However, on 12 minutes, after a scramble from a corner, Liam Hassin did well to head clear off the line from a goal bound effort. It took a while before Comrades started to get into the game, but by the midway point of the half play was evenly balanced, with defences largely on top.

The breakthrough for Stephen Small’s men came in the 36^th minute. With Comrades growing in confidence, Conor Quinn got to the ball and played a perfectly weighted pass through the home defence to Michael Morgan who then finished with an impressive shot into the top corner of the net from the edge of the box.

The visitors came close to adding to their lead on 44 minutes. Caolán Donnelly went on a superb run past two defenders before hitting a shot from just inside the area which took a deflection off a defender and onto the angle of bar and post.

There were two enforced changes at half-time for Comrades, as the impressive pair of Jack Johnston and Caolán Donnelly had to be replaced due to injury.

The hosts started on the front foot after the restart, although they failed to create chances against the visitors’ defence in which captain Liam Hassin, normally a midfielder, was outstanding. In the 52^nd minute Comrades doubled their lead with a truly memorable goal. Brian Healy received the ball on the right side of the pitch, just inside the Institute half. With great vision he spotted the home ‘keeper off his line and sent an audacious effort over the stranded Doherty and into the net to the delight of the travelling supporters.

Play was then held up for a significant period with a nasty looking injury to Comrades defender Lewis Tennant. He had to be stretchered off with a suspect broken leg, which fortunately was later diagnosed in hospital to be muscle damage.

Another reshuffle was required and this time the visitors took some time to adjust. This allowed Institute to build attacking momentum. They grabbed a goal back on 68 minutes when Porter supplied a neat first-time finish from six yards to a dangerous ball played in from the right. The hosts now had the wind in their sails, and they looked capable of getting an equaliser. In the 70^th minute Harris cut inside the box and fired a shot which Adam Ritchie had to turn away. Then, two minutes later, Tweed cut in from the left before striking an effort from just outside the area which Adam Ritchie was well-positioned to save.

The home side then had another chance on 75 minutes when Harris swivelled to get in a shot from the centre of the area, but he slashed his effort well wide of the target.

Comrades weathered the storm and began to get more control of the game, looking dangerous on the break. In the 84^th minute they gave themselves some leeway with a third goal. Conor Quinn was again the provider with a great ball across the pitch to set Brian Healy free to run at the stretched home defence, after the referee had played a great advantage. Healy cut inside the box and past the hosts’ right-back before confidently shooting across the ‘keeper and into the bottom corner of the net from 10 yards.

Institute exerted pressure in the remaining minutes, which included 10 minutes of stoppage time, but Comrades defended well. Getting heads to balls played in from corners and crosses which has been something of a weakness previously in the initial stages of this season.

The visitors had a good opportunity to add a fourth goal eight minutes into added time when a counterattack saw them with a three versus one situation. However, they did not take advantage, and the attack ended with a Brian Healy shot being comfortably saved by the ‘keeper.

After the extended period of stoppage time the final whistle saw Comrades take a deserved three points on the road to send their supporters home happy.

In front of a large crowd under the Dixon Park lights, Comrades were within just over a minute of taking a strong Linfield side to penalties in this County Antrim Shield tie.

The home side looked sharp from the kick-off, fired up to make amends for a couple of poor recent performance. To the delight of their supporters, they took a shock lead inside five minutes. An incisive move saw the ball fed out to Brian Healy in space on the left and he surged into the box before striking a sweetly hit shot which saw the ball go into the net off the far post.

This woke up the visitors who began to boss the attacking play. On 12 minutes they came close when Annett got on the end of a low ball played into the box by Archer and struck an effort at the near post which was deflected just wide. In the 18^th minute Linfield grabbed an equaliser. A great cross sent in by Mulgrew found the head of the towering Roscoe who made no mistake, powering in from close range.

Six minutes later the hosts conceded a penalty when Lewis Tennant brought down Mulgrew on the byline. Fitzpatrick stepped up to take the spot-kick but was denied by a fine save from Adam Ritchie.

Comrades continued to compete well and unsettled their high-class opponents. In the 36^th minute good pressing saw the ball break to Brian Healy on the right. He sent a teasing ball into the box, which was met by Darius Roohi, but Walsh was well positioned to make a smart save. Then, on 39 minutes, the hosts had an even better opportunity to retake the lead. Brian Healy did very well to get past a defender on the right side of the box and strike a shot which was parried out by the ‘keeper. The loose ball fell to Lee McGreevy in a great position. He struck an effort on target only to be denied by a superb goal-line clearance by Whiteside. The visitors came close to taking the lead a minute into added time at the end of the first half. After a scramble in the box Fitzpatrick set up Annett for what looked like an easy chance, but his effort was kept out by a fine reaction safe from Adam Ritchie.

Comrades started the second half positively. Five minutes in, Michael Morgan produced a thrilling mazy run past a number of challenges before unleashing a shot from just outside the area which flew over the bar.

Linfield had introduced their star player Joel Cooper, former Comrades player and Ballyclare native, after the break. It was he who gave his side the lead in the 55^th minute when he struck a great curling shot from 25 yards which went in under the bar. Showing respect for his former club and hometown team, he refused to celebrate the goal. Cooper again showed his class four minutes later when he struck the base of the post with a free kick effort from 22 yards out.

Comrades were far from finished and on 67 minute they were back on level terms. Michael Morgan hit a fierce shot from the edge of the box which Walsh couldn’t hold. Darius Roohi was in the right place, following up to knock the ball into the net past the stranded ‘keeper.

The hosts now had their tails up. On 72 minutes they had a chance to retake the lead. Cillin Gilmour played a diagonal ball forward towards Michael Morgan, which slipped under the foot of McCullough, allowing Morgan to race into the box. However, he delayed his shot and McCullough redeemed himself by getting back to make a block.

With the match set to go straight to penalties, Linfield piled forward with a wave of attacks late in the game, with Comrades having to deal with several crosses into the box. On 89 minutes from one such cross, sent in by McClean, McBrien headed against the bar. Comrades defended tenaciously and it looked as if they would deservedly take the game to spot-kicks as the time ebbed away. However, they were denied by a Linfield winner five minutes into stoppage time. Another cross came into the area and this time a Comrades head couldn’t get to it, with McKee heading in from 5 yards.

The final whistle came shortly afterwards, and the home supporters clapped their team off after they had given their all in a thrilling encounter.

Many thanks to our match sponsor for this game B Craig & Co, and to our two ball sponsors Ernest Hall Menswear and Trade Bathrooms NI.

Comrades suffered a humiliating defeat at home to the Welders after shipping goals at an alarming rate.

The hosts had the first effort on goal inside two minutes with Michael Morgan testing Agnew with a curling effort from the edge of the area which the ‘keeper was well positioned to save. Two minutes later Welders hit the front. A defensive mix up in the box, when the ball should have been cleared, allowed O’Connor the simple task of knocking in from close range.

The hosts reacted to this early setback. In the ninth minute Cillin Gilmour saw the ‘keeper off his line as he took a free kick just inside the Welders half and tried an audacious effort which went just wide of the unguarded goal. On 11 minutes Comrades created a great chance to level the scores. Michael Morgan surged into the box and delivered a great ball to the far post where Darius Roohi was arriving. Unfortunately for the striker he had to stretch to reach the ball, and his effort went over the bar with the goal at his mercy.

At the other end, the visitors posed a constant threat to a nervous Comrades defence. In the 19^th minute they scored a second goal. Kee struck a shot from inside the box which was kept out by a good save from debutant ‘keeper Adam Ritchie. However, the ball broke out to Doyle who made no mistake, firing in through the crowded box.

Comrades attempted to get back into the game. On 24 minutes Liam Hassin pulled the ball back from the byline to Darius Roohi who made space for shot from the edge of the area, but his effort went over the bar. In the 27^th minute the home side pulled a goal back. Michael Morgan ran at the visitors’ defence and played the ball to Darius Roohi in the box. Roohi played it into the six-yard box where Morgan slid in to provide the finish.

A minute later Comrades came close to a leveller. Darius Roohi got past a defender on the right side of the box before playing the ball to the far post area where Michael Morgan met it with a scissor-kick which went just over the bar. Soon though the wind was taken from the hosts’ sails as Welders got a third goal. On 31 minutes McCoubrey’s corner was headed in by Doyle, exposing Comrades frailty from set-pieces. Three minutes passed before the visitors added to their tally. The hosts again failed to clear the ball from their box allowing Dylan O’Kane to blast it in past the helpless ‘keeper.

The first half goal avalanche continued in the 36^th minute. Darius Roohi and Michael Morgan again linked up effectively, with Roohi breaking forward from halfway and delivering a perfectly weighted ball across to Morgan who ran in one on one with the ‘keeper. Agnew initially blocked Morgan’s effort inside the box, but the ball fell back to the Comrades man who slotted it into the empty net.

A minute into first half stoppage time Welders almost had a fifth goal but were denied as Adam Ritchie made a brilliant save from an O’Connor close range effort.

Comrades went in at half-time still hanging on to a chance of getting something from the game, largely thanks to the work of their strikers. Five minutes into the second half they had a good chance to reduce the deficit to one goal. Lee McGreevy played a deft through ball to find the run of Liam Hassin who surged through from the halfway line. As a chasing defender tried to catch him, Hassin shot from just outside the box, but his effort was blocked by the advancing ‘keeper. At the other end Welders continued to look capable of scoring with almost every attack. In the 54^th minute O’Connor won a physical battle in the box and got in a shot which was deflected just wide of the target. From the resulting corner the same player saw his header tipped onto the bar by ‘keeper Ritchie. The young Comrades ‘keeper was overworked and again had to make a good save on 62 minutes to deny O’Connor as he shot from a good position inside the area.

Hope for a Comrades recovery was snuffed out in the 68^th minute when Dylan O’Kane hit a superb strike from 30 yards which flew into the top corner of the net. From this point it was a matter of how many the visitors would score as Comrades heads dropped. Two minutes later the visitors scored a sixth goal. A ball dinked over the Comrades backline set Doyle free and he made no mistake with a finish from inside the area to complete his hat-trick. In the 73^rd minute Welders scored their third goal in a devasting five-minute spell. This time Parkhouse got on the end of a great ball across goal to make a simple finish.

Comrades came close to reducing the deficit on 76 minutes as Michael Morgan shot past the advancing ‘keeper from the edge of the box, but a defender got back to clear the ball off the line to deny the Morgan his third goal. On 80 minutes the hosts were grateful for another fine save from Adam Ritchie as he kept out a close-range follow-up effort from Parkhouse after a free kick had been smashed against the bar. Parkhouse then should have done better in the 84^th minute, as with only the ‘keeper to beat he dragged his shot wide from 14 yards.

The final whistle came as a relief to the shellshocked home supporters who had witnessed a disastrous defensive display from their team.

Match Sponsor: Metal Technology

Comrades came away from the short trip to Inver Park with nothing after being comprehensively outplayed by Newington.

Right from the kick -off the hosts looked much sharper than their out of sorts opponents. Inside two minutes they came close when a corner was only cleared out to Storey who shot from the edge of the box, clipping the post. In the sixth minute Gerard Walker had to turn the ball behind to keep out a shot struck by Reid from just outside the area. Newington deservedly took the lead on 12 minutes when Storey stepped up to blast straight in past the wall from 22 yards out. Three minutes later the home side doubled their lead. A shot fired in from outside the box took a deflection which made it difficult for Gerard Walker to gather. The ball consequently spilled out of his grasp and Curran was there to finish from close range.

Comrades first threat of the game came in the 18th minute. Michael Mervyn got forward on the right and played the ball into the box to Brian Healy in a dangerous position. He attempted a first-time effort, but it was tame allowing ‘keeper Brown to save comfortably. The visitors came more into the game around the middle of the half but couldn’t find a good final ball. Newington maintained a significant threat and on 35 minutes a defensive mix-up near the halfway line allowed Stuart to run free into the box where he shot across the ‘keeper but saw his effort hit the far post.

Comrades had been very poor in the first half and things didn’t improve significantly after the break. They did threaten on 55 minutes when Brian Healy sent a looping header onto the top of the bar, although the ‘keeper appeared to have it covered. On the hour Comrades faced another Storey free kick, this time he sent a fierce shot in from 35 yards which Gerard Walker had to turn past the post. The hosts remained the much the more dangerous side. In the 64th minute the dangerous Tugman got past the Comrades defence up the right and played a great low ball into the box towards Stuart, but the striker fluffed his chance in front of goal from 8 yards, scuffing it wide of the post.

The visitors showed very little sign of making a comeback. However, they did create a chance in the 81st minute when the ball was played to Lee McGreevy in space just inside the box, but his shot was sliced well wide of the target. A minute later Newington threatened a third goal when they cut through the Comrades defence providing an opportunity for Gowdy inside the area, but his goal-bound effort was blocked in front of the line by Owen McConville. Five minutes into added time Newington came close to adding to their lead when Storey struck the bar with a shot from 16 yards.

Comrades were lucky to end the game only two goals behind, as no-one could have argued with a much heavier defeat after a very under power performance.

Second half strikes from Michael Morgan and Conor Quinn gave us our first win of the season after a testing week.

On a day where the weather couldn’t make up its mind if it was summer or winter, the game started at a good pace, with both teams trying to get on the front foot. Annagh United managed to get the early lead after a cross field ball found Teggart free on the left hand side of the box, and he fired past Walker after 10 minutes. After this we weathered the storm, both literally and on the pitch, as Annagh continued to press forward looking for second. As the half progressed, we had a number of half chances, with Brian Healy shooting from distance testing their keeper, and Bryce Gray coming close. Half time score 1-0 to Annagh.

The second half was barely going before Michael Morgan picked up the ball just inside the Annagh half, and drove at the defence, before unleashing a shot that came off the underside of the bar and nestled in far corner of the net. It was the tonic that the Comrades needed, and we started to take control of the battles all over the pitch. In what was a very entertaining second half, neither team were settling for the draw, and on 60 minutes Morgan went on another run beating 3 men on the edge of the Annagh box before having the ball nicked away just as he was about to strike. We continued to press forward with Healy going close. Caolán Donnelly returned from injury replacing Michael Mervyn and Conor Quinn came on for Bryce Gray as we went to 4 at the back. It proved to be the match winning decision, with Quinn picking up the ball on 80 mins and firing it low past Craughwell to turn the game around, scoring his first goal for the club after his summer move.

Annagh threw everything at us, but the defence stood strong, and young Jack Johnston came on for his senior competitive debut in place of Morgan to give us fresh legs in front of the back 4. A late penalty shout for Annagh was rightly waved away, and the final whistle blew signalling our first win of the season, in front of the cheering Dixon Park crowd.

After a stormy week, on a day where the sun shone, and the rain drove hard, the Comrades weathered it all, and took a valuable 3 points.

Man of the Match: Michael Morgan

A big thank you to our match sponsor Fleming & Cuthbert Funeral Directors, and ball sponsor Country Diner Catering.