Linfield 6
Ballymena 0
League (Irish League)

Match Report

Ballymena met with the most ignominious defeat of their career at the hands of Linfield at Windsor Park on Monday last.

On the previous Wednesday's showing Ballymena were incompetent enough, but all was nothing to Monday. They played such a miserable game that Linfield virtually overwhelmed them.

Linfield were thrustful from the start, and inside ten minutes were a goal up from a free and Joe Bambrick hustling it into the net. Ballymena managed to force a corner, but play swung to the Ballymena end, where Gough picked up a fine shot from McCleery at the corner of the post. Ballymena made ground again and Cassidy opened up the way for Shaw, who crossed hard in, but Gilmore missed in the goal mouth.

Linfield resumed the attack, and from McCracken's pass Houston landed in a snorter which Gough held well. Evans, Ballymena's newest recruit, was not getting a great deal to do. At last a chance came his way and he dropped the ball on the bar, and when it rebounded into play Cassidy shot with his left foot but his aim was erratic.

Linfield continued to have the bigger share of the game, and from a corner taken by Houston the ball went right across to Harold McCaw, who lost no time in netting.

Ballymena resumed with a forward rush, and Rainey was called into action. Then Mitchell had a drive for goal, but Thompson made a timely clearance. After this Linfield got a proper grip on the game again and scarcely ever let go. They harassed the Ballymena defence sorely, and only for Gough's custodianship would have built up a heavy score early in this half.

Many a time he worked what were almost miracles when the situation seemed past redemption. McCleery missed a great chance when he skied over the bar from a few yards out. Joe Bambrick converted a fine pass from Houston with a fine header, and five or six minutes later the same player (Joe Bambrick) scored a fourth.

Ballymena managed to break away several times, but when near goal their work was anything but meritorious. Cassidy had the chance of a lifetime to reduce the lead and should have scored, but he met the ball and shot past an angle.

J. Reid was carried off with a leg injury and did not return. A minute later Billy Houston scored Linfield's fifth, and this was followed instantly by Joe Bambrick netting again. Linfield did much as they pleased right up to the finish.

Match report written by Ballymena Observer (1 March 1929)