Lisburn Distillery v Moyola Park (Lough 41 Premier Intermediate League) – Saturday 23rd April 2022
With the season edging closer to a conclusion Lisburn Distillery played on a Saturday for the last time this season when they hosted Moyola Park at the weekend.
There was one change to the team with Jonathan Edge dropping to the bench and his namesake Jonathan Angus starting in his place. This game marked Barry Moore’s 100th appearance for the Whites since signing in 2016.
Distillery started the game on the front foot and had the first opportunity to score in the second minute when Caoelain Young found himself through on goal and although he shot past the onrushing Jamie Logan, in goal for the visitors, he also put the ball wide of the right-hand post.
Four minutes later, the same player was involved again when he tried to flick a Timmy Clarke cross towards goal but once again could not find the target.
It was just a minute later when the home side manged to break the deadlock, Mick O’Hanlon got on the end of a ball into the box and chipped the ball over Logan and into the back of the net to give the Whites an early lead that they deserved so far.
Distillery continued to control the game and in the 22nd minute Jordan Lucas put O’Hanlon through on goal, but the flag quickly went up for offside against the Whites leading scorer.
The lead was doubled though just after the 30-minute mark and Lucas and Young were involved again, the former cut infield and sent a great cross towards the back post finding Young who guided the ball past the opposition defender and Logan to find the target with his third attempt of the day.
Moyola were not going to make things easy though and in first half added time they pulled a goal back when Jonah Nicholl saved but could not hold an effort from range and Tom Patchett tapped home the rebound to make it 2-1.
The visitors were almost level with the last action of the half when Nicholl looked to be beaten with a powerful effort, but the ball struck the post and went away from goal.
Half-time: Lisburn Distillery 2-1 Moyola Park
The Whites started the second half strongly and in the opening five minutes Lucas was twice denied by Logan and Angus had a goalbound header cleared away for another corner that ultimately came to nothing.
With just over 30 minutes to play an injury to Logan saw him having to make way with Moyola skipper, ironically Aaron Harris, donning the gloves for the remainder of the game.
Despite this change thought it looked like the visitors were more likely to score and somehow in the 64th minute the ball managed to stay out of the Whites goal. Nicholl rushed a long way off his line to try and claim a loose ball but could not do so, fortunately the visiting attacker was forced wide so could not get a shot off and crossed towards the back post where a Whites defender blocked the ball on the line.
Distillery made a few changes in an attempt to add to their lead but to be honest they seldom troubled Harris in goals and breathed a sigh of relief in the 84th minute when a cross from the right went all the way across the face of goal with no one from either side being able to get anything on the ball.
The full-time whistle eventually sounded to end a well-managed win for Distillery and make it two wins in a row. Attention now turns to a trip to Portstewart on Tuesday night.
Full time: Lisburn Distillery 2-1 Moyola Park
Lisburn Distillery; Nicholl, Angus, Clarke, Moore, Reid, Higginson, O’Hanlon, Harris, Sullivan, Lucas, Young
Lisburn Distillery substitutes; Pollock, Dillon, Irvine, Edge, Conlon (for Young, 61 mins), Scott (for Lucas, 61 mins), Brannigan (for Harris, 86 mins)
