Ballymena 2
Glentoran 1
League (Irish League)

Match Report

Are Ballymena Glentoran's bogey team? To all intents and purposes it would seem so, for never yet have the Ovalites had the satisfaction of putting it across the Light Blues, either at home or away.

As runners-up in the League this season, Glentoran came down to Ballymena last Saturday with a good deal of assurance, being confident that they would break the spell, but Ballymena preserved their record.

The last time these teams met - November 16, at the Oval - Girvan scored Ballymena's winning goal in the last three minutes, a highly delightful ending to the game from a Ballymena point of view. These teams have yet to meet in the City Cup, but it will be well on in April before this occurs. Ballymena will make a great bid to keep their record unbroken.

Last Saturday's match was a 'needle' affair. In the first half Ballymena were the most impressive side, but in the second, when the Glens re-arranged their front rank, the game was more evenly divided, although Ballymena were always the more polished exponents and undoubtedly won on the merits.

A feature of the game was Cassidy's wizardry with the ball, water-logged and all as the ground was. His brilliant play was a treat to watch, a fact which the spectators readily appreciated, ad which drew forth unstinted applause.

Play started on a water-logged pitch, which however, became messy after the openig exchanes. Winning the toss, Glentoran sent Ballymena to face the breeze, and in the first minute McCambridge headed over the bar.

The Glens were dangerous in their first attack, the forwards making methodical progress, but the movement ended with Geary sending it past. Then Dalrymple led the home front line in a business-like attack, and after McCambridge had swung the ball out to Murphy the latter sent it whizzing right across the field to Kilpatrick, who, however, was overcome by superior numbers.

McCambridge worked through the defence and volleyed in a well-directed shot, and when Ward had failed to hold it Dalrymple failed to score with the goal at his mercy. Still keeping on the offensive the home forwards proved a constant source of worry to the Glentoran defence, especially Cassidy, who gave them an anxious time. He had two wallops for goal in quick succession, but the shots had the misfortune to be blocked on each occasion.

The first 'free' of the match came for a foul on McCambridge, and when Reid took the kick and sent the ball nicely into goal, McCambridge was hauled up for off-side. At the end of seventeen minutes Dalrymple made a clean cut through all opposition up the centre of the field, and after Ward had diverted the shot John Murphy banged another one across goal and the ball struck the far upright and the ball went bounding into the net for the opening score.

Up to the present Glentoran had not any great say in the game, but after meeting with this reverse they put more pep into their play. They were attacking spiritedly when Howard came to the rescue and pushed the ball up to Dalrymple, from whose pass Murphy sent in a flying shot which Ward saved.

The Glens continued to try to turn defence into attack, but their efforts were not of the most successful kind, the home forwards being hard to shake off, while the halves were backing them up splendidly. At intervals the Ovalites succeeded in putting Ballymena on the defensive, and they were all right up to a point, but their efforts had usually a tame ending.

After twenty-seven minutes' play Glentoran forced the first corner of the game, but Gough fisted clear. A sharp fall of snow now sent the spectators in the open scurrying for shelter, and Ballymena found it difficult to make headway in face of the whirling flakes. In the subsequent exchanges, Kilpatrick dropped in a lovely centre, and Dalrymple missed again at the corner of the post.

Following a Glentoran run, which ended abruptly owing to off-side, Ballymena forced a corner, which Kilpatrick placed beautifully, but Ward fisted clear. From now up to the interval Glentoran had the better of the exchanges, in the course of which Geary headed into the net, but the whistle had already gone for off-side.

Ballymena faced a strong sun on resuming. In the first few minutes Dalrymple placed well for Murphy to work up the wing and push in the ball for McCambridge, who hit it a mighty wallop sending it careering high over the bar, amidst a burst of laughter.

Bassnett, who was playing a sterling game at right-half, did some useful and timely work in stemming the next Glentoran attack, getting the ball clear of the goal area just as things looked unpromising. Further tricky work by Murphy enabled Cassidy to have another try for goal, but Ward had no difficulty picking up the soft ground shot.

From a corner taken by Murphy, Reid headed into goal, but Ward was on the spot. Then Murphy gave Dalrymple a glorious opening, but in the excitement of the moment hit the ball against the goalie from point-blank range.

But the spectators had not to wait long for another goal, for in the following Ballymena attack Joseph Cassidy beat all comers and fired a left-foot drive from outside the penalty line, Ward being only able to tip the ball with his fingers on its passage into the net. This was just seven minutes from the resumption.

Appreciative cheers greeted some excellent work by Cassidy and Bassnett, who were proving more than the equals of their opponents, both coming out of several bouts with flying colours. Ward stopped a stiff grounder from McCambridge, and then Glens made a quick dash to the opposite end, and when Gough had fisted the ball clear, Roberts, who was now playing at outside-left, shot most erratically. Following a corner to Ballymena Bassnett placed neatly to Kilpatrick, who lifted the ball in for Cassidy to miss narrowly with a fast header.

Glentoran, who had made strenuous, if not very brilliant efforts, had the satisfaction of seeing their labours rewarded after twenty-three minutes' play in this half when Thomas McKeague lowered the lead, shooting into a goal which was at the moment untenanted, as Gough had come out just previously in an effort to get the ball away.

The Glens again made a dashing attack, which ended in Geary netting, but the referee disallowed the goal, apparently on the plea of off-side. Play at this stage was as brisk as ever, and both forward lines were in top form.

It almost looked as if Dalrymple would get a goal at last when he drove in a speedy high shot, but Ward jumped to it and fisted over the bar for a corner. In the closing stages the Glens worked more strenuously than ever and succeeded in forcing two corners, but the home defence held firm.

Match report written by Ballymena Observer (21 February 1930)