Football: Coagh hit for six by Dollingstown as poor run continues

The home side managed by ex-Coagh favourite Gary Duke, over-ran the Hagan Park side but it all could have been different if Coagh had kept their shape after taking an early lead through Mattie Kempton.

Coagh started the match, without four regulars; Jonathan Young, James Ferguson, Aaron Campbell and Hugo Baptista who were all missing, while manager Mark McMemeny was also unavailable for this match.

Joint manager Jim Scott fielded a mixed bag and his selection looked good in the first 15 minutes with fluid passing football. Coagh’s persistence was rewarded after 12 minutes.

Mattie Kempton’s weaving run found Alex Cabral on the right who slipped past two defenders to feed Kempton with a slide rule pass. The move finished with Kempton side footing the ball into the net for the opener.

Things were going well for Coagh, until a forced change for Dollingstown, changed the game in their favour.

An injury to Neal Clydesdale allowed Ashley Gregg to enter the fray and it took him less than a minute to get the home side back on level terms.

James Wright did the spade work before Gregg took his first of four with a cool finish. Coagh went straight on the defensive and this played right into the home side’s hands as they started to over-run the visitors.

James Wright became a thorn in Coagh side after he set up Gregg for his second of the match.

Coagh had plenty of chances to clear before Gregg slammed home his second from close range. The home side were on fire after this and Gregg was unlucky not to have had his hat-trick before the break after missing two clear chances on goal.

Coagh’s best chance before the break came from Dermot McGuckin. His free kick was fumbled out for a corner after Kempton was fouled just outside the 18 yard box.

Jim Scott used the half time break to regroup his side and Coagh came out looking sharp again with fluid passing football but as in the first this was short lived.

William Hassan in the Coagh goal will want to forget Dollingstown’s corner kicks.

The first Gregg headed through Hassan’s hands from Kyle Robinson corner kick. Worse came for Coagh after John Henry was carried off giving a debut to Ryan Bell.

Dollingstown scored again when Robinson scored direct from a corner kick and he repeated this goal moment later for his second of the match.

Ashley Gregg got his fourth when he again got clear to score his fourth of the match on 90 minutes.

Coagh need to get more points on the board and will be hoping to have players back before this very important bottom of the table clash against Ballymoney this week. Kick off at Hagan Park is 2pm.

Coagh: William Hassan, Mark Taylor, Scott McGeown, Simon Logan, Aaron Thornton, John Henry (Ryan Bell), Dermot McGuckin, Andrew Kelso, Alex Cabral (Lee Smyth), Stephen Glasgow, Mathew Kempton.

Dollingstown: Kris Fletcher, Jake Redpath, Aaron Moffett, Kyle Robinson, Dwayne Kerr, Neil Clydesdale, Andy King, Ritchie Thompson, Marty Hughes, James Wright, Jordan Gibson. Subs: Andy Hamilton, Ashley Gregg, Michael Fagan, Richard Donaghy.

Referee: E Ferguson. Assistants: Andrew Nethery, Ryan Kelsey.