GOAL KING DAVID ISN’T HALF BAD

Game over by interval after Cochrane’s early treble

DAVID COCHRANE hit a first half hat-trick to help set Loughgall Youth on the way to a 4-0 win over Hillsborough Boys in the under-16 section of the Daily Mirror Lisburn Junior League.

A good save by Hillsborough keeper Allister Taggart only allowed Cochrane the opportunity to put Loughgall ahead from the rebound after five minutes.

Four minutes later Cochrane beat the offside trap to score his second and later in the half the keeper made a good save at a corner kick, but Cochrane was quickest to react when the ball ran loose to ram in his hat-trick goal.

Loughgall completed their first half dominance when Bailey Dowzell tapped in their fourth goal.

As the torrential rain continued Hillsborough came more into the game in the second half and Kieran Hillen in the ’Gall goal had to make three or four good saves. Boro really turned it round in the second period and deserved to get on the scoresheet.

They were inspired by one of their new boys Vital Zawula who absolutely ran the show in midfield.

Dylan Nesbitt, playing at left back for the first time, was having a good game but the Loughgall star performer was Dean Elliott in defence.

Credit though to both teams for playing so well in terrible conditions.

Afterwards Loughgall manager Mark White said they played as a team in the first half and after the break they defended well, again as a team.

“Dean Elliott was the pick of our defenders and Mark Cochrane shone with the three goals. We will hope to keep the performances at this level throughout the season.’’

Hillsborough boss Derek Holden thought they made a number of “schoolboy mistakes’’ in the first half and though they played good football he gave them a stern talk at half-time.

“I thought we played the better football throughout and probably deserved goals. Vital Zawula certainly proved himself as a big part of our team and we did not deserve to lose 0-4. There were good performances from William Stewart, Luke Holden and Jake Bleakley.”