Comrades in the mix as league reaches cut-off
A DRAMATIC victory for Ballyclare Comrades has set up a massive pre-split scramble for the final two places in the top six of the Bluefin Sport Championship.
Four teams realistically remain in the mix going into the final round of matches before the league breaks in half and with two of them — Ballinamallard United and Ballyclare — playing against each other there is potential for a number of twists and turns on decision day on Saturday.
The Comrades beat Portadown 2-1 at Dixon Park to move level with Loughgall on 29 points and to within just two points of H&W Welders, who lost 4-2 at PSNI and therefore have still to cement their top-six place before they travel to face the Ports.
Ballyclare took control on 19 minutes when Gary Donnelly pounced to score after Ports goalkeeper Declan Dunne failed to hold Jamie Willighan’s shot.
The Ports levelled on 72 minutes when Ross Larkin headed home from Kyle Neill’s corner, but they missed out on a point that would have kept them in third place when Willighan scrambled the ball over the line with just three minutes left.
Mathematically PSNI are still in the frame, but with a minus-nine goal difference only a combination of a landslide victory over Dergview, Loughgall taking a hammering against Larne and Ballinamallard beating Ballyclare would see them make the top half.
PSNI raced into a 4-0 lead with a brace from Nathan O’Neill followed by goals from Aaron Cochrane and Mark Anderson, but late replies from Ross Arthurs and Matthew Ferguson mean they are not only three points behind Loughgall, but a massive 16 goals as well.
Knockbreda’s slim top-six hopes were ended when they conceded a last-minute equaliser against Dundela. Jordan Baker’s penalty looked to have kept Breda in the hunt but Ryan Nimick scored in the dying moments to earn Dundela a point.
Knockbreda did have ball in the net even later, but the strike was disallowed.
Results: Ballyclare Comrades 2 Portadown 1, Dundela 1 Knockbreda 1, PSNI 4 H&W Welders 2.