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Sat 4th Sept
HOLYWOOD SADLY LACK CUTTING EDGE
Shankill Utd …4 v 1 … Holywood FC
Amateur League Division 1A
Holywood suffered their first league defeat of the season against league leaders Shankill Utd having won their previous two games. While stand in manager Paddy Conway can have no complaints about the result, even the most partisan home supporter will know that there was not three goals difference between the two teams at the end. Shankill have now won all four of their opening league fixtures and are early favourites for promotion to the Premier Division. One minor consolation for Holywood is that their goal was the first that the home side have conceded in the league this season. However, reports of their almost total lack of creativity and goal chances will be a major worry for team boss Artie McAlea as he returns from holiday this week.
The only change to the starting line up from the Linfield Swifts match on the previous Saturday was Frankie Small coming in for Alistair Gordon. The opening salvos were even and the outcome of the game may have been different had new boy Anto Crawford been better able to control the ball in the box after only three minutes. It didn’t take the home side long to show that they were the more motivated outfit and greens’ young keeper Paul Fisher needed to be on his toes to make a brilliant save in the 9th minute as the middle of Greens’ defence melted away in front of him. Moments later he did well again to punch a corner clear to the edge of his area and man of the match for Holywood Chris Beattie made a great headed clearance from the resulting shot. Shankill had most of the ball as the visiting midfield failed to compete in the middle of the park and the pressure was beginning to tell on their fellow defenders. It was no surprise when the home side went 1-0 in the 15th minute when Scott McMillan, nephew of Holywood’s club chairman Albert McMillan, headed powerfully past Fisher from a corner kick. Strangely this seemed to settle the visitors but they seriously struggled to make any impression up front. Another great clearance from Fisher from a thirty-yard effort kept the score down on the half-hour mark.
A possible turning point of the game came in the 34th minute when Frankie Small was clipped by the home keeper as he burst past him in the box but he didn’t go down and eventually the ball was cleared. Had he gone down it would have been a penalty and the home keeper would surely have been sent off by referee Damien Grimley. By now the Greens had found their feet and controlled the last fifteen minutes of the half. Conor McGeown was unlucky when he headed Trainor’s corner downwards in the 38th minute only to see the ball bounce up and off the Shankill crossbar. Five minutes before the break the home supporters claimed that Fisher had stepped over his own goal line trying to stop a shot from the halfway line. Mr Grimley waved play on but Fisher later admitted that the ball had indeed crossed the line and Holywood got the rub of the green for once. But their luck ran out in added time when a schoolboy defensive mix up allowed the ball to be hooked into the net from close range to make it 2-0. A cruel end to the first period for the Greens but had it been a boxing match they would have been well down on all the judges’ cards. One bright spot for the Holywood was the display of Chris Beattie at right back who was outstanding as he fought for every ball often putting his head where few others would have done.
Halftime:- Shankill Utd …2 v 0 … Holywood FC
Best in first half: Chris Beattie, Paul Fisher and Conor McGeown
The second half was only fifteen seconds old when a Gerard Mailey slip opened the door for a snap shot, which Fisher did well to save low to his left. A brilliant block in the box by Chris Beattie in the 57th minute saved Holywood’s skin and Fisher made a fantastic fingertip save a minute later pushing a twenty-yard free on to his crossbar. But the outcome of the game took another seismic shift on the hour mark when out of the blue Stephen Trainor hit what must be one of the goals of the season – a thirty-yard left foot blast from the left flank which rocketed into the top corner of the net before the keeper had a chance to move. It was such a good goal that even some of the home fans applauded the effort. The game was now evenly balanced and the next goal was going to be critical. Shankill almost got it in the 70th minute when a long-range effort flew narrowly over Fisher’s bar. With fifteen minutes to go Ryan Beattie put a great ball into Anto Crawford and the big man shot from the edge of the area only to see the home keeper make a decent save.
That save proved costly for Holywood as the home side went up the other end and made it 3-1. Mailey failed to clear to safety and from the resulting cross the ball was hit home from ten yards. That as they say was that and in spite of late substitutions for McGeown, O’Neill and Smyth the introduction of Alistair Gordon, Neil Wallace and Eamonn Clarke failed to spark a recovery. Indeed another disastrous Holywood defensive error allowed Shankill to add a fourth right at the end to give the final score line a slightly one-eyed look. So after a few good results it is now back to the drawing board for McAlea and partners and with an away game on Saturday against UUJ they have the ideal opportunity to show that this was just a bad day at the office. As for the players, far too many of them were anonymous on Saturday and they need another chance to prove to the manager and supporters that they have what it takes to play for Holywood FC.
Fulltime:- Shankill Utd …4 v 1 … Holywood FC
Best in second half: Frankie Small, Chris Beattie and Stephen Trainor
Man of the match: Chris Beattie
Team:- 4 - 4 – 2
Paul Fisher; L-R Conor McGeown, Gerard Mailey, Paul Reid capt. and Chris Beattie; Stephen Trainor, Ryan Beattie, Ciaran Smyth and Brian O’Neill; Frankie Small and Anto Crawford.
Subs:- Alistair Gordon for Conor McGeown – 81 mins, Eamonn Clarke for Ciaran Smyth – 88 mins and Neil Wallace for Brian O’Neill – 88 mins.
Other Results
Albert Foundry II … 7 v 0 … Holywood FC II – Amateur League Division 3A
Holywood FC III ... 4 v 4 … Stranmillis 37th
Upcoming Fixtures
Saturday 11 September
Firsts
Away to UUJ – League – 2.00 kick off
Seconds
Home to Killyleagh YC – League – 2.00 kick off
Thirds
Away to Willowfield - League – 2.00 kick off
Posted on 06/09/2010 -
Sat 28th Aug
NO RED FACES AS BLUES PIP GREENS
Holywood FC …4 v 6 … Linfield Swifts
Steel and Sons Cup 2nd Round
Holywood and Linfield’s second string played out an entertaining ten-goal feast of goals at windy Seapark on Saturday afternoon. Played in front of over a hundred spectators, this was Holywood’s first opportunity of the season to test themselves against a team of fit, fast and ambitious youngsters. This was always going to be a Samson and Goliath encounter against one of the favourites to win the cup especially given that six of the Linfield starting line up have played for the first team this season and three of those having also played in Europe. With new boss Artie McAlea away on holidays this game had the potential for his boys to get a roasting by the seaside in Holywood while he was getting a roasting on the beach in Spain. In the end the score line hides two stories - one of a first half of such dominance and skill by the visitors that they could have been six or seven clear and the second of the disbelief from the Linfield bench of a possible defeat when the Greens pulled the game back to 4-4 with fifteen minutes remaining. In spite of this defeat, the good news for the home fans is that McAlea’s squad building process continues and two new faces lined out for the first time with ex-Malachians centre back Paul Reid and ex-Cliftonville striker Anto Crawford making their debuts at Seapark.
Linfield’s left back Aaron Burns gave probably the finest display of skill and attacking flair to be seen at Seapark in a long time as the Greens midfield and defence simply could get near him. He beat six men in the 10th minute and crossed into the goalmouth with his magical left foot where Conor McGeown made a great block on the line. Moments later Holywood breathed another sigh of relief when a loose ball in their box bobbled inches wide of Fisher’s right hand upright. But there was no way Holywood could stem the flow of attacks and when Ryan Beattie cut down the centre forward in the 13th minute, referee Ted Heffer had no option but to point to the penalty spot. The same player scored from the spot in off the upright to make it 1-0. Greens new teenage keeper Fisher is improving with every game and he did well minutes later when he tipped over a point blank header from that man Burns’ cross. McGeown was the hero agin when he cleared the resulting corner off the line. With almost half of the first period gone it looked like Holywood had maybe weathered the storm but an unlucky slice into his own net by Gerard Mailey gave the young Blues a two goal lead in the 20th minute. Minutes alter Fisher made a great save flicking a free kick on to his crossbar. From the clearance the home side made their first attack of the game as Fisher’s long kick found Crawford who fed O’Neill on the edge of the box but his snap shot flew agonisingly wide. But it was business as usual in the 26th minute when the home defence failed to clear a simple ball into the box from the right wing and suddenly it was 3-0 and the afternoon looked like it was going to be very long indeed for those in green.
However, on the half-hour mark Holywood punished poor Linfield defensive play when Ciaran Smyth was able to fire home from close range from Mailey’s free kick from the halfway line. Moments later Smyth had a great chance to reduce the arrears even further but fluffed his shot from the edge of the area. Crawford turned inside from McGeown’s throw in and fired a shot from twenty yards which skimmed the upright and it looked like the visitors had completely blown up before the first half had ended. But Burns scored the best goal of the game whehen he ran unopposed from his own half and slotted past Fisher to make it 4-1. Immediately stand in manager Paddy Conway replaced the injured Alistair Gordon with Frankie Small but it was Burns again who almost scored just before the break with Fisher making a great save. So a lot of Holywood dressing room psychology required to repair damaged egos while Linfield manager Denis Shields kept his boys on the field to express his frustration at not being even further ahead.
Halftime:- Holywood FC …1 v 4 … Linfield Swifts
Best in first half: Conor McGeown, Paul Fisher and Gerard Mailey
McGeown was no sooner back on the park when he was called to head burns’ dangerous cross for a corner after a couple of minutes. After that, Holywood continued to dominate proceedings and it was no surprise when Crawford used all his experience and considerable bulk to force the Blues defence to haul him down in the 63rd minute. The same player slammed the penalty into the back of the net to make it 4-2 but nobody in the ground dared to believe that a comeback was possible until Small headed in from Stephen Trainor’s corner four minutes later. The young Blues were visibly shaken and should have leaked another goal immediately after but Trainor fluffed his shot after he intercepted a poor back pass from a now very nervous defence.
But the equaliser came with fifteen minutes left on the clock as Seapark erupted. Great work by Crawford as he held the ball up on the edge of the box and as Ryan Beattie came in he fired home from fourteen yards. Linfield were clearly on the ropes and with talisman Burns substituted, they looked leaderless and there for the taking. But the Greens lost concentration and gave away two almost identical goals in four minutes when they failed to clear first from a free kick and then from a corner. This settled the young visitors and with only ten minutes left they could see the finish line. Eamonn Clarke and Neil Wallace came on for the last ten minutes in place of Crawford and Trainor but the visitors were able to keep the ball away from the Greens and hold on for a victory. A great second half for Holywood which should give them the confidence to match any team in the league over the coming months.
Best in second half: Anto Crawford, Frankie Small and Stephen Trainor
Man of the match: Conor McGeown
Team:- 4 - 4 – 2
Paul Fisher; L-R Conor McGeown, Gerard Mailey, Paul Reid capt. and Chris Beattie; Alistair Gordon, Ryan Beattie, Ciaran Smyth and Stephen Trainor; Brian O’Neill and Anto Crawford.
Subs:- Frankie Small for Alistair Gordon – 40 mins, Eamonn Clarke for Anto Crawford – 80 mins and Neil Wallace for Stephen Trainor – 80 mins.
Other Results
Rathfern Rangers … 1 v 2 … Holywood FC – Amateur League Division 1A – mid-week
Upcoming Fixtures
Saturday 4 September
Firsts
Away to Shankill Utd – League – 2.00 kick off
Seconds
Away to Albert Foundry – League – 2.00 kick off
Thirds
Home to Stranmillis 37th - League – 2.00 kick off
Saturday 11 September
Firsts
Away to UUJ – League – 2.00 kick off
Seconds
Home to Killyleagh YC – League – 2.00 kick off
Thirds
Away to Willowfield - League – 2.00 kick off
Posted on 31/08/2010 -
Tue 24th Aug
HOLYWOOD SPARKLE AT THE DIAMOND
Rathfern Rangers FC ... 1 v 2 ... Holywood FC
Amateur League Div 1A
Holywood Manager Artie McAlea was delighted with his teams performance last night having come back from a goal down to take all 3 points at without doubt will be one of the hardest venues to take a point all season for other teams.
With two league wins now from two games, Holywood now sit third in the league behind Shankill and East Belfast, but with a game in hand over both teams.
The game itself was relentless end to end stuff with both teams having chances in the first half to open the scoring. Neither team did though until midway through the second half when Rathfern beat Fisher in nets with a well worked goal.
Rathfern's joy though only lasted a matter of minutes as Ryan Beattie produced a wonder goal from outside the box which flew into the top corner of the goal, giving the rathfern keeper no chance.
With 10 minutes remaining Conor McGeown produced a lovely floated free kick into the 6 yard box which glanced of a rathfern player and into the net.
Holywood battled to the end and fully deserved all 3 points at the Diamond in Rathcoole.
This saturday see's a break from the League when Holywood entertain Linfield Swifts at seapark in the Steel and Sons Cup. Game kicks off at 2.30pm
Posted on 25/08/2010 -
Sat 21st Aug
HOLYWOOD’S POCKETS PICKED IN KILLYLEAGH
Killyleagh YC …1 v 0 … Holywood FC
Border Cup 1st Round
Holywood’s new boss Artie McAlea said after the game that he felt that his boys had their pockets picked by home side Killyleagh in this entertaining Border Cup first round affair. Except for the goal in added time at the end of the first half, most of the chances fell to the Greens and new keeper Paul Fisher had only a couple of saves to make all afternoon. McAlea was however very happy with the performance his boys gave and with several new signings still to come into the team it looks like he is assembling a squad that might raise a few eyebrows this season as dark horses in the league. Fresh from Tuesday evening’s 4-0 trouncing of Sainfield Utd in their first league game confidence was high against the perennial Premier League challengers who they had beaten here in one of the last games of last season. However, injuries and work commitments forced McAlea to make four changes to the starting line up from the previous Saturday but it did not show as the visitors gave Killyleagh a football lesson for much of the first half. Even though they were playing up hill and against a stiff breeze, Holywood attacked from the start and had the ball in the net after only two minutes but the referee did not award a goal, as he was not sure it had gone over the line from his position outside the area. In fact, the ball was two feet over the line before the keeper scooped it up safely into his arms.
A neat move started by Gerard Mailey five minutes later saw the home keeper make a good save as he cut out Stephen Trainor’s dangerous cross. The referee did not do the Greens any favours either after ten minutes when he blew his whistle to give them a free kick when he might have played advantage as they had burst clear in a three on two situation. The home side did not have their first attempt at goal until the 11th minute when they headed narrowly wide from fourteen yards. Fisher did well after a quarter of an hour diving low to save a free kick from the edge of his penalty area. With barely half of the first period played Holywood were forced to make their first substitution as Ricky Patton hobbled off with a groin strain to be replaced by Mark Crawford. This forced McAlea to bring Ciaran Smyth back into defence and allow Crawford to go up front with Frankie Small. Luck fell the way of the home side yet again on the half hour mark as Small’s effort smacked off the upright and back into play before it was cleared for a corner. The danger signs that Killyleagh were starting to get their game together showed with five minutes to go before the break when they cleared from a Holywood attack and ran straight down the park forcing Fisher to make a good save low down to his left. However, he was powerless to stop the opening goal on the stroke of half time when Killyleagh headed in at the back post from a good cross from the right flank. Holywood looked shell shocked as they trudged off the pitch seconds later a goal down when they could have been a couple of goals to the good.
Halftime:- Killyleagh YC …1 v 0 … Holywood FC
Best in first half: Conor McGeown, Gerard Mailey and Stephen Trainor
Substitute Crawford was himself substituted during the interval suffering from hamstring strain allowing Gerard Mulholland to enter the fray. Again McAlea had to rearrange his men with Smyth going back up front to join Small again. The Greens almost got the equaliser with the second half only six minutes old as the home keeper flapped at Eric Moore’s cross eventually clearing for a corner. Moments later Neil Wallace headed a long clearance intelligently into the path of Small but he shot wide from the edge of the penalty area. With twenty-five minutes left on the watch McAlea made his third substitution bringing on Eamonn Clarke for Wallace. A quick free kick for Killyleagh caught the Holywood defence flat footed but luckily, the shot from twenty yards flew wide of Fisher’s upright.
Holywood really should have equalised in the 70th minute from Mailey’s free kick, which landed at Conor McGeown’s feet, but he sliced his shot wide from eight yards out. Two minutes later Moore put Smyth into a great position but the home keeper made a great save from a shot from just inside the area. The visitors failed to put together any further chances and Killyleagh were more than capable of coasting the last ten minutes free from pressure. So an early exit from the Border Cup and a first competitive defeat of the season but hopefully a lot of valuable lessons learned by the Greens’ management and players alike ahead of two tough games in the space of four days this week. On Tuesday evening they travel to Rathcoole to play Rathfern Rangers in the league and then on Saturday they entertain Linfield Swifts in the second round of the Steel and Sons Cup. Hopefully the Holywood supporters will be able to see the introduction of some if not all of the recent signings for these games.
Fulltime:- Killyleagh YC …1 v 0 … Holywood FC
Best in second half: Conor McGeown, Frankie Small and Ryan Beattie
Man of the match: Conor McGeown
Team:- 4 - 4 – 2
Paul Fisher; L-R Conor McGeown, Gerard Mailey, Ricky Patton and Brian O’Neill; Stephen Trainor, Ryan Beattie, Eric Moore and Neil Wallace; Frankie Small capt. and Ciaran Smyth.
Subs:- Mark Crawford for Ricky Patton – 26 mins, Gerard Mulholland for Mark Crawford at half time and Eamonn Clarke for Neil Wallace – 65 mins.
Other Results
Holywood FC … 4 v 0 … Saintfield Utd – Amateur League Division 1A – mid-week
Bangor YM III … 0 v 1 … Holywood FC III – Down Area League Division 1
Bangor Swifts III … 0 v 1 …Holywood FC III - Down Area League Division 1
Upcoming Fixtures
Tuesday 24 August
Firsts
Away to Rathfern Rangers - League – 6.30 kick off
Saturday 28 August
Firsts
Home to Linfield Swifts – Steel and Sons Cup 2nd Round – 2.30 kick off
Thirds
Away to 82nd OB – League – 2.00 kick off
Saturday 4 September
Thirds
Home to Stranmillis 37th - League – 2.00 kick off
Saturday 11 September
Thirds
Away to Willowfield - League – 2.00 kick off
Posted on 23/08/2010 -
Tue 17th Aug
CONFIDENT START TO LEAGUE CAMPAIGN
Holywood FC ... 4 v 0 ... Saintfield FC
Amateur League Div 1A
Sorry we dont have a full report for this game as our newshound was on other business across the water. Two goals from Frankie Small and one each for Ally Gordon and Mark Crawford was enough to claim all three points for Artie McAlea's first League Game of the Season.
Next game is on Saturday away to Premiership Team Killyleagh in the First Round of the Border Cup, followed by the second of our League Games on Tuesday Night away to Rathfern Rangers in Rathcoole.
Posted on 18/08/2010 -
Sat 14th Aug 10
HOLYWOOD START NEW ERA WITH STEEL CUP WIN
Holywood FC …5 v 1 (aet)… Civil Service
Steel & Sons Cup 1st Round
A new era in Holywood FC’s history got under way on Saturday as new manager Artie McAlea took his players on to the field for their first competitive game of the season. The disappointment of last season’s poor results and relegation from the Amateur League’s Premier Division were further compounded during the summer when six of last year’s squad left the club for pastures new. So the task of rebuilding a squad capable of competing in this year’s Division 1A has been handed to Belfast man McAlea and his two assistants Paddy Conway and Pat Maguire. Played in glorious sunshine on a Seapark surface that must rival any other in the country this was a perfect stress free starter to their season against a team from a lower division in a tournament that they have little hope of winning come Christmas morning. However, it was important for them to gauge how successful their training sessions have been and how well their new boys have blended with the remnants of last season’s team. Whether they got all the answers they were looking for from this game is debatable and a draw in the next round against Linfield Swifts will certainly pose a few more searching questions.
It took four goals in extra time to give this contest a realistic score line as the Greens missed the proverbial bucketful in the first half. A hat trick including two penalties from captain Frankie Small finally broke the resistance of the Dundonald men and the home defence was rarely worried. Holywood’s afternoon started brightly when they were awarded a penalty in the 7th minute for a foul on Small who proceeded to score from the spot. A poor kick out by the visiting keeper ten minutes later fell straight to Ali Gordon but the keeper made amends saving Gordon’s effort with his feet. A good move midway through the half was started by Gerard Mulholland in the middle of the park as he sent Gordon down the left flank but his cross was well saved by the keeper. Holywood should have been awarded another penalty in the 26th minute as Small was bundled over again but the referee allowed play to continue as O’Neill kicked the loose ball against the sprawling keeper. Moments later Gordon was clear through on the keeper but again the man with the gloves won the duel. Service drew on their luck on the half hour mark when Small put O’Neill in but his lob over the keeper bounced off the crossbar.
A great fingertip save from Mulholland’s free kick kept the visitors in the game in the 32nd minute and they scrambled the ball off the line from the resulting corner. It was all one-way traffic and McGeown made a rare visit to the opponents’ penalty area to get on the end of Wallace’s cross but his headed effort flew over the top from twelve yards. But it was the visitors who scored the next goal very much against the run of play in the 37th minute. A poor mix up in the centre of defence allowed a Service player to have a shot at goal but the ball took a huge deflection off a defender and dipped over the Green’s keeper standing six yards out. Small continued to set up chance after chance but they were all spurned as the Civil Service defence easily dealt with his teammates’ efforts. Team boss McAlea knew his boys could have been four or five goals to the good at the break.
Halftime:- Holywood FC …1 v 1… Civil Service
Best in first half: Frankie Small, Ryan Beattie and Gerard Mailey
The second half started as the first half had ended as Gordon headed wide from close range after only three minutes. Two substitutions in the first fifteen minutes saw Stephen Trainor and Ricky Patton coming on for the injured Stuart Wells and Brian O’Neill. Trainor suffered from the same affliction as his teammates as he blasted over the bar from eight yards in the 62nd minute and hit his shot straight at the keeper a minute layer when put through by Gordon. Civil Service had one chance in the second half in the 65th minute when they had a clear shot at goal from eighteen yards but they fired over the top. Gordon was unlucky midway through the half when he cut in from the left side and let fly but his effort hit a defender on the shoulder with the keeper well beaten. With ten minutes remaining Small got on the end of one of Ricky Cooling’s trade mark long throws but again the luck of the visitors held when the shot flew off a defender for yet another Holywood corner. Ciaran Smyth replaced the tiring Wallace with twelve minutes to go. Holywood had a scare in the 85th minute and almost lived to rue all their missed chances but McGeown was on hand to clear from a dangerous corner kick. In injury time Small made the wrong decision when he fluffed a shot from close range with Smyth standing all on his own eight yards out waiting to tap into an empty net.
Fulltime:- Holywood FC …1 v 1… Civil Service
The visitors had held out bravely towards the end of normal time and the last thing they needed was twenty minutes of extra time as they were clearly out on their feet. Indeed, they had to survive Holywood’s first attack after only thirteen seconds when Gordon shot at the keeper from the edge of the box. Seconds later Beattie won a corner, which Trainor took only to see the ball canon off the crossbar from a close range header. Minutes later Small fluffed his lines with only the keeper to beat before Gordon settled the home nerves at the end of the first period when he coolly lobbed the keeper from sixteen yards. There was still time in the first period for Holywood to make it 3-1 when Trainor tapped in from close range from Smyth’s long throw in. Small made it 4-1 near the end of the second period hooking in from close range and he fittingly got his hat trick by adding a fifth at the very end when the referee awarded a penalty for a deliberate hand ball on the goal line. This week the Greens start their league campaign with a home game against Saintfield Utd on Tuesday evening while next Saturday they travel to Killyleagh in the first round of the Border Cup. Their next league game on Tuesday week is away to Rathfern Rangers. Shooting practice will be top of boss McAlea’s training objectives this week.
Best in second half: Frankie Small, Ricky Cooling and Conor McGeown
Man of the match: Frankie Small
Team:- 4 - 4 – 2
Michael McVeigh; L-R Ricky Cooling, Gerard Mailey, Stuart Wells and Conor McGeown; Alistair Gordon, Ryan Beattie, Gerard Mulholland and Neil Wallace; Frankie Small capt. and Brian O’Neill.
Subs:- Ricky Patton for Stuart Wells – 50 mins, Stephen Trainor for Brian O’Neill – 60 mins and Ciaran Smyth for Neil Wallace – 78 mins.
Upcoming Fixtures
Tuesday 17 August
Firsts
Home to Saintfield Utd - League – 6.45 kick off
Saturday 21 August
Firsts
Away to Killyleagh YC – Border Cup – 2.00 kick off
Tuesday 24 August
Firsts
Away to Rathfern Rangers - League – 6.45 kick off
Posted on 17/08/2010 -