Last Tuesday Bryansburn travelled to Billy Neil to play Donard Hospital hoping to continue on from their great performance and result at Ballynahinch three days earlier.
Donard, playing with a brisk breeze at their backs, were easily the better team and passed the ball well. With the late withdrawal of McMullan, Thompson came into Centre-half and alongside Graham was excellent and kept Donard at bay on a number of occasions.
With Donard showing most of the pressure going forward, without actually creating any chance of note, ‘Burn scored against the run of play. Bryansburn were awarded a free kick 25 yards out and up stepped Thompson to hit a cracking shot up and over the wall, which had the keeper scrambling across but he was only able to palm it into the net.
Donard continued to dominate the game and were back on top in search for the equaliser but for their endeavour there was no end product for the home side. The best chance of the half fell to McConkey who was cleverly put through by Maguire only for his shot to be hit high and wide over the bar.
‘Burn managed to see the game out to half time and went in at the break 1-0.
Bryansburn started the 2nd half in better fashion and started to get their passing game going. With the game evenly matched now Donard were still looking dangerous especially down the left side.
Donards’ left sided player was a real handful with his direct running and in the 54th minute Cooling was adjudged to have upended him on the edge of the box. The resulting free kick six yards out from the goal line was delivered across the box which ‘Burn failed to clear and the Donard Centre-forward was on hand to direct it into the corner of the net for a deserved equaliser.
Within five minutes of the Donard equaliser, the ‘Burn side showed a positive response having refused to sit back and try and contain the home side. Bryansburn forced a couple of corners in quick succession before a well worked rehearsed move between Chambers and McConkey saw the ball put into the box and up popped Captain Thompson for his and ‘Burn’s second rifling the ball into the roof of the net with a confident finish.
Things went from bad to worse for Donard when their very efficient Centre-half was stretchered off injured and this seems to allow ‘Burn to get on top of the game.
With Donard pressing for the equaliser ‘Burn actually looked the side with more of the goal threat. Culbert had two half chances to kill the game off but the best chance of the 2nd half fell to McConkey after Culbert hit a snap shot which the keeper parried and if McConkey had have shown a little more composure he should killed the game off but unfortunately the chance was squandered wide of the post.
That miss subsequently did not cost the side and credit must go to Captain Thompson with not only his goals but along with the rest of the backline defensively stood firm which bodes very well for the season ahead.
The following night the 3rd XI had a comfortable 3-0 win over Bangor Amateurs lll at Ballywooley. The Amateurs bounced a free-kick off the top of the bar early on but failed to pose much of a goal threat for the rest of the match with stand-in keeper Cole only having one save of note to make towards the end. Rea went close early on and Dempster saw a chip come back off the crossbar but the main difference between the sides was Gallagher who scored a well-taken hat-trick. His first strike midway through the first half finished off an impressive four-man move with Shivers supplying the final ball for him to hammer home from twelve yards.
This was followed up by two explosive runs in the second half and each time he kept his composure to finish well. Substitute Davison came on in the second half to make his Bryansburn comeback and was twice denied by Craig in the Amateurs goal. With Murphy and R.Thompson pulling the strings in midfield Bryansburn totally dominated the second half and really should have added to their three goals. “Man of the Match” was Gallagher for his hat-trick.
Then on Thursday at Ballywooley the 2nd XI played out an entertaining 2-2 draw with the Lisburn Distillery Development squad.
