BALLINAMALLARD YOUTH............ 0
GLENTORAN YOUTH .....................1
Ballinamallard Youth Under 18s completed their 2007/2008 season with a home fixture against Glentoran Colts.
The Mallards were keen to finish their season on a high after a convincing victory over rivals Dungannon Youth in midweek. The game kicked off in perfect conditions for playing football and both sides attempted to stamp their authority in the early exchanges. The Mallards seemed nervy and sluggish in the opening exchanges and the away side continued to push for that elusive opener.
Some haphazard Mallards defending inside their own box left Matthew Quinn having to pull off an excellent reflex save to prevent the home side from conceding the opener.
Quinn was once again called into action when more slack Mallard defending allowed the Glens number ten through on goal.
However, Quinn once again thwarted the Glens front man with another superb one handed save.
Shortly before the half time interval, the Glens left winger made a darting run inside Mallards full back Stuart Hutchinson to win a penalty.
The Glentoran centre midfielder stepped up and sent Quinn the wrong way to give the Glens a fortunate opening goal. The Mallards went into the interval, extremely unhappy at conceding just before the break to a controversial penalty. The half time team talk seemed to have inspired the young Mallards who began to play some neat passing football. Matthew McAuley was giving the Glens left back a torrid afternoon with some direct and forceful running down the right hand flank. After another burst down the right flank, McAuley found Paddy Northern at the back post, however, the strikers lob back into the box was punched out by the Glens keeper.
It was McAuley once again who was at the centre of another attack by the Mallards. A poor clearance by the Glens number one fell to McAuleys feet. However, the strikers lob was just inches over the crossbar.
With 20 minutes left to full time, the home side were left with ten men after Nathan Khan was sent off for a second bookable offence.
Ryan Smyth was then brought on for the last 20 minutes to spirit a revival from the Mallards. It was Smyth who was on the end of another Mallards attack. Unfortunately Smyth's left footed drive went agonizingly wide. The away side seemed content to sit back and absorb any Mallards pressure and in the closing stages they switched to five at the back to try and hold out for the victory.
