Ballymena 0 Linfield 3

CIS group stage, 15th September 2007

Team: Mannus, Douglas, Lindsay, Bailie, McShane (Hogan 83), Mulgrew, Gault, Dickson (Mouncey 66), Curran (O’Kane 66), Ferguson, Thompson (subs not used: McAreavey, Murphy

Goals: Thompson (10), Ferguson (45), Mouncey (69)

I have to admit from the start that I wasn't at the game, as I was, err, surfing in Portrush, ahem, free food and drink on work was involved too...

According to my reliable sources, the Blues played well and controlled things, without ever really getting out of 2nd gear against a poor Ballymena side. The midfield, minus the rested/ dropped Maccers, were really good, esp Mulgrew and MOTM Gaulty in the centre. Curran had another, erm, 'quiet' game, Pat McShane and Noel Bailie returned, and yet again, opinion was divided on the contribution of Ferguson, dominant and everywhere on the one side, too many fancy flicks and no more pace and drive on the other. Thompson finally got back on the scoresheet, and apparently Mouncey was great when he came on.

Well done to Liam Hogan, a left-back/ central midfielder, whose impressive performances for the Swifts earned him a call-up, and a first appearance for the first team as sub, the first of hopefully many.

On a related topic, the Ballymena fan protest against David Jeffrey never materialised.

Poor quality highlights available here, again Mitchell Ali isn't recoding them with his super-duper technology, so you're left with me filming the TV with an average digital camera:



Next up, the Reds at Windsor on Tuesday in the 2nd round of the CAS. Bring it on.