Match Report

Distillery 0-0 Larne 15 Feb 97

WHITES LACK SHOOTING STAR

Second bottom Larne gave Distillery a tough time in a hard fought if slapdash game at Ballyskeagh.

Even when the Whites were on top, Larne came storming back with raids, mostly starting down the left wing. And their shooting had more sting than a somewhat listless looking Whites attack who failed to get a worthwhile shot on target in the first half. Jim McCloskey on the left wing looked like being in danger for Distillery shortly before the break. He forced a corner and then fired in a swinging ball from the flag, but there was nobody to take advantage.

Larne came close through Adrian Hill, David Patton and Graham Mellon but the interval came without a goal. The Whites, showing a shade more purpose and poise, had tough luck 11 minutes into the second half. Winger Robert Campbell caused panic in the Larne defence with a well placed long throw-in from the right and in a goalmouth scramble Philip Dykes turned to flick a header just over the bar from short range. In a bid to pep up his attack Whites' boss Paul Kirk, sent on teenager Gareth Walsh and David McGlinchey in quick succession for McCloskey and Campbell. And in desperation for a winner he used his last substitute for the last ten minutes. Craig McAllister, an 18 year old who has been an apprentice at Southampton, replaced right back Peter Crothers. But the Whites simply couldn't get the vital breakthrough and were frustrated by cheeky breaks from Larne as the final minutes ticked away. And to cap it all in the dying seconds of injury time Glenn Murray missed a point-blank sitter to crown an unhappy day for the Whites.

Team: Mills, Fullerton, McMahon, Smyth, McKinstry, Looney, McDowell, Johnston, Hill, Patton, Mellon subs: Lowry, Regan, McConkey

Referee: Peter Thompson (Bangor)

Match report courtesy of Martin Harris