Cliftonville 3
Ballymena 2
League (Irish League)

Match Report

Great disappointment was caused locally at Ballymena's defeat by Cliftonville at Solitude on Christmas Day.

A rumour spread over the town shortly after one o'clock that Ballymena had won by 3-1, and, of course, everyone thought they had got a couple of points almost for the asking.

Some time later scepticism was caused at a report that Cliftonville had won 3-2, and even when this was confirmed many people were incredulous and refused to believe it. But it was all too true. The truth is that Ballymena, failing to take a lesson from what happened in Saturday's match when Ards drew level with only fifteen or twenty minutes to go, imagined they would have a walk-over against the amateurs, but they got an unpleasant surprise.

In the first half Cliftonville opened the scoring, and Jamie Shiels equalised. However, Cliftonville again took the lead in the second half, and John Morrow, who has been a little marvel in the last two or three matches, put the teams on a level footing. The amateurs again took the lead and held it to the end, winning 3-2.

In this game Davy Reid, who has served Ballymena so well at centre-half, was off, recovering from an injury received in the match against Ards, and this position was filled by his brother, John, who was not a conspicuous success. Gilmore came on at right half, and played a splendid game.

As a whole the match was a scrappy affair. Cliftonville got in only three decent shots in the first half, but they managed to score with two of them. Billingsley, Cliftonville's outside right, was ordered off for rough play.

Match report written by Ballymena Observer (28 December 1928)