Ballymena 2
Linfield 4
League (Irish League)

Match Report

Ballymena's failure to take the points from Linfield last Saturday cast a cloud of gloom ove the town, which has not yet lifted.

It was terribly disappointing to see them go down before the league leaders when a victory would have made them potential champions. Never before had they been in such a challenging position in the fight for league honours, and it was the great hope of their supporters that they would rise to the occasion and send Linfield away empty-handed.

On the contrary, however, they suffered their first home league defeat of the season, and as a result are now placed third in the league table, five points behind Linfield and one behind Glentoran. They did well to hold Linfield to a one-goal lead in the first half, but the defence cracked up in the second, allowing Bambrick to score three easy goals. McIlroy, who rose of a sick bed, scored twice for Ballymena.

The crowd was one of the biggest ever seen at the Ballymena ground, thousands of Linfield supporters coming by rail and road and helping to swell the huge attendance of local fans. Seats in the grand stand were a premium. The gate receipts amounted to £161.

Ballymena had a newcomer in their ranks, McNeill formerly of Glentoran and Portadown, who was signed on a month's trial on Thursday, owing to Lucas being on the injured list with a broken ankle. In the first half he occupied the centre forward position, but changed places with Shiels on the resumption.

A gasp of amazement went up when it was seen that Ballymena had decided to play in the teeth of a stiff breeze after winning the toss. The home goal had two close calls in the first few minutes, McCracken crashing a shot on the cross-bar and McCleery firing in a high one, which King misjudged but contrived to throw round the post for a corner.

Only five minutes had gone when Linfield, who used the breeze well, opened their account, Harry McCracken netting with a fast drive from a few yards out.

Ballymena rallied and Mahood volleyed in a flying shot which Eckersley pulled down and cleared, despite being harassed by Shiels. Linfield raced for goal again, Mackey getting a ball across which Bambrick headed past. McDiarmid was getting plenty to do at this time and was obliged to give away a corner when tackling McCracken. Mackey forced another corner off Flannigan, but McNinch got the ball out of the ruck and Flannigan completed the clearance.

Eckersley was brought into action again to fist out a free from Williamson, after which Gowdy got away on his own as the result of a short pass from Stewart. King came out to meet him and saved what looked like a certain goal by shooting up his fists and diverting the ball for a corner. Jones got possession from the kick and drove in hard, King saving on his knees.

Ballymena attacks were too easily broken up. McNeill's ineffectiveness as a leader allowing the Linfield defence full scope. The Linfield men were much quicker on the ball than the home players, and with the wind behind them they gave the Ballymena defence a hot time.

In this half the defence stood pretty well to their guns, but they had to rely on a good deal of assistance from the half-backs. On one occasion Mahood dropped back when Linfield were on the warpath and was applauded for bringing a run by Jones to a full stop.

Frees were of frequent occurrence against Linfield in this half, but none of the kicks helped the team materially. Towards the interval Bambrick eluded McNinch and looked every inch a scorer until King calmly lifted the ball from his toe. McIlroy had just taken a corner kick when the half-time whistle sounded.

Shiels led the Ballymena attack on the resumption, and for the next ten minutes Linfield got all they wanted. The slowness of Richmond and Eckersley in taking bye-kicks raised the ire of the home crowd, who judged that these players were wasting time, now that Linfield were being pushed.

Williamson grazed the bar with a great free kick and later passed to McIlroy, whose accurate centre caused a wild stampede in the goal-mouth, Eckersley picking up the ball almost on the line after a terrific scramble.

Once again McIlroy slung the ball across and McCormick, who was the star forward, shot wide. King ran out and kicked clear when Caiels had left McNinch standing, and at the opposite end Flannigan sent in a powerful shot which Eckersley disposed of.

After eleven minutes Linfield broke away for only the second time in this half. Caiels swinging the ball into the goal area, McDiarmid missing, and Joe Bambrick scoring in spite of a last-minute effort by Flannigan to retrieve the situation.

Two minutes later Mackey dashed along the Linfield right wing and centered. Caiels got possession and shot into goal, where McNinch failed to clear on the goal-line, leaving Joe Bambrick an easy chance which he accepted. These two quick goals were a great blow to Ballymena, who up to the moment had done nearly all the attacking in this half.

Although they must have felt their doom was sealed they renewed the struggle spiritedly, and once again Flannigan gave the forwards a lesson on how to shoot, Eckersley having some trouble with the effort.

McIlroy forced a corner, and when the ball came in Flannigan sent it speeding towards goal, only to see Eckersley carry the ball past for another corner. Ballymena's first goal came when Williamson landed the ball low into goal from a free, Eckersley only getting his fingers to it and Charlie McIlroy netting from close in.

Linfield were quickly down the field. Caiels again leaving the full-backs behind and kicking the ball against King, who had run out. King managed to collar the leather and was cheered for a good clearance.

Ballymena had another set-back eleven minutes from the end when Mackey centred for Joe Bambrick to score with a characteristic shot. Linfield had the measure of Ballymena so well now that the homesters looked a thoroughly dejected team, and the crowd began to file out of the ground.

Six or seven minutes from the end, however, Ballymena broke away, Shiels sending out to McCormick, who sent over for Charlie McIlroy to beat Eckersley with a well-placed shot. Both goalkeepers were in action in the closing stages but saved their respective charges from further downfall.

Match report written by Ballymena Observer (15 December 1933)