U15s hit four to book last eight place
Ballinamallard Utd 4 Oxford Utd Stars 0
BALLINAMALLARD U15s booked their place in the quarter-finals of the National League Plate with a comfortable win over Oxford United Stars at the Lakeland Forum.
After a scrappy start, it was the home team who began to play the better football.
On eight minutes, Joshua Humes and Jay Largo-elis combined to help find Kelan Boyle on the edge of the box. He displayed great close control before a composed finish to put his team into an early lead.
Boyle and Largo-elis then had half chances with Luke Robb, Daniel Gawley and Oliver Robertson moving the ball with purpose.
The lead was finally doubled on 23 minutes when a splendid delivery from Rafa Mccoy was met by
Eoghan Mcardle, who nodded the ball into the net from close range.
Five minutes later, Humes picked the ball up in midfield, he shimmied past two opponents before curling the ball into the top corner from 20 yards.
Despite being three down at the break, the Oxford United Stars kept battling for a way back into the tie and a powerful effort from the edge of the box forced Adam Magee into a diving save.
This was quickly followed by a flowing move from the Mallards. Oscar Timlin found the supporting run of Jamie Stewart, he then combined with John Ritchie and Robertson to help find Mccoy in the box. His goal bound effort knocked behind for a corner.
A clever ball into the box then found an Oxford attacker at the back post but his shot was brilliantly saved by Magee.
The Mallards then forced a number of corners before finally making it 4-0.
Jack Stevenson reacted quickest close to goal to fire the ball past the keeper.
Clever link up play down the left between Cillian Toner and Mccoy then saw the ball helped onto Stevenson and he beat his opponent before just missing the target.
Rhys Murphy and Ritchie then combined to find James Patton in the box, the defender just getting back in time to clear the ball as it ended 4-0.