Football: Coagh beaten by Distillery

The home side took the lead with only five minutes on the clock when Sean Southam headed into the bottom corner of the net from Joe McDonnell cross, leaving Coagh keeper Hassan stranded.

Coagh United were level however three minutes later after McBride up ended Mattie Kempton. James Ferguson levelled from the spot.

The Whites took the lead again on 20 minutes as Southham grabbed his second as he finished a Stephen Doyle cross.

Five minutes later Southham completed his hat trick after scoring from inside the six yard box. Hassan saved well from Jones but could do nothing to stop Doyle penalty kick.

The decision on the penalty neither team could understand.

Coagh looked better at the start of the second half with McBride making a superb save to deny Mark Taylor, tipping the ball away.

There was nothing he could do on 55 minutes as Coagh pulled one back when Dermot McGuckin cut inside two defenders challenges before firing the ball into the top corner of the net.

The home side opted to freshen up things by making a triple change bringing on William Bingham, Ryan Corrigan and Robbie White and taking off Martin Jones, Sean Southham and Jimmy McIlhagga.

Coagh nearly had another goal as Ferguson’s shot was superbly saved by McBride as he pushed the ball away from danger while at the other end Hassan made a superb save to deny Bingham as he rounded the keeper by palming the ball onto the post,

Robbie White had a superb chance for his first chance as he got away but he slipped before shooting goal wards.

Coagh continued to push but could find no way past the inform McBride who made yet another superb stop to deny Mark Stewart as his powerful shot.

As the final whistle drew close Distillery made it five as Doyle cut inside his shot going through Hassan and into the net. The Coagh keeper will have been disappointed that he didn’t save.

This week Coagh have no fixture. The Hagan Park side will return to action on Saturday 27th December with a home fixture against Wakehurst, 2pm.

Coagh United FC wish everyone a very happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year.

Lisburn Distillery: McBride, Thompson, Sergeant, Burns, Nixon, O’Connor, McIlhagga, McDonnell, Doyle, Southham, Jones Subs Bingham for McIlhagga, Corrigan for Jones, White for Southham, Kopyt, Morton,

Coagh United: Hassan, McGeown, Drennan, Ferguson, Glasgow, Kempton, McGuckin, Thornton, Taylor, Stewart, W Ferguson, Holmes.