League

Joey Dunlop Stadium
Spectators: 5000 (Terracing: 4000, Seating: 1000, VIP seats: 0) The sun was shining, the grass was green and the audience cheered when Jim Tipton got the match started through his kick off. Caleb Bell could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 5th minute of the match, but Marc Sawbridge made a huge save. In the 7th minute Chris Johnson shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Frankie Cardwell saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. 8 minutes into the match, Caleb Bell notched a goal, 1-0, to the right of Belfast Celtic FC's Marc Sawbridge. Marc Sawbridge was clearly disgusted with the effort of the defense and let the defenders know about it. In the 18th minute, Caleb Bell left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The Ballymoney Athletic fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 2-0. Frankie Cardwell showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Jim Tipton, who was totally free with the ball in the 21st minute. Jim Tipton scored 2-1 in the 36th match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Frankie Cardwell, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot. In the 39th minute, Sid Legg hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Ballymoney Athletic's Rich Pennant got a good chance for a goal in the 42nd minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. When the match clock showed 44 minutes, the score became 2-2 when Jim Tipton sped through Ballymoney Athletic's defense and sent away a curving shot that went into the net to the right of Frankie Cardwell. After a very even first half the match was still tied. The players went to their respective dressing rooms to discuss the tactics for the second half.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Rich Pennant to make the kick off. If Chris Johnson had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 62nd minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. If Chris Johnson had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 73rd minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. Jim Tipton could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 75th minute of the match, but Frankie Cardwell made a huge save. Keith Perkins's late challenge caught a Ballymoney Athletic's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Keith Perkins helped the player get up and apologised. After 79 played minutes Belfast Celtic FC got a freekick which was hit by Keith Perkins. Rich Pennant fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 80th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Marc Sawbridge having to interfere. Chris Johnson succeeded to score despite a near miss that spronge from right pole into the goal to 3-3 in the 87th playminute. Marc Sawbridge came out of the goal in the 91st minute to try and stop a shot by Ballymoney Athletic's Sid Legg. But to his dismay, Sid Legg quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 4-3. The home crowd let out a huge roar when the referee blew for the end of the game. Ballymoney Athletic were victorious despite being under pressure from Belfast Celtic FC for much of the match.