Bet McLean Cup, Round One
Cliftonville 4 Coagh United 1
CLIFTONVILLE kicked off their defence of the Bet McLean Cup on Tuesday evening with a 4-1 win over Coagh United at Solitude.
The Reds ensured their spot in the last 16 but it was far from the routine win that the score suggested for Jim Magilton’s side who hit the front through a Rory Hale volley, only to be pegged back when Ben Mallon struck Coagh level before the interval.
An early Sean Robertson strike in the second period steadied any fears of an upset, and further goals from Joe Gormley and Eric McWoods got the job done for last season's winners, much to the delight of Magilton, who was pleased with the improvement after the break.
Keevan Hawthorne battles for possession with Lee McMenemy
“These games are about winning,” reflected the Cliftonville boss.
“You have to give Coagh loads of credit for the way they came and played. It was important that we got into a flow, I thought we passed the ball quite well at times and created really good opportunities in the first half.
“We just lacked that ruthless streak that you need, gave away a really sloppy goal. To be fair, the players had a go at each other at half time and they came out and there was more urgency in our play and a little bit more imagination and creativity around the edge of the box.
“I know they sat in and there was a lot of to-ing and fro-ing but once we got a little bit more aggression in our play, then it was a case of how many we were going to score."
Magilton went with a strong starting line-up, with Lewis Ridd coming into replace PJ Morrison in nets and returns for Rory Hale and Jonny Addis following their one-game suspensions.
The early chances came for the North Belfast side when Brandon Bermingham miscued and skewed an early shot past the post as Cliftonville looked to put the Intermediate outfit on the backfoot.
The visitors were within inches of going ahead but for a push on Lewis Ridd and minutes later when Ridd easily held on to an attempt from Matthew McMenemy minutes later.
Richard Purcell smothered a low Rory Hale shot and then tipped over a further opportunity from the Reds skipper after a quarter of an hour.
The chances continued to come as Bermingham released Hale and then took the ball back but his shot was blocked and the ball broke to Adebayo Fapetu who curled a shot wide of the target.
Cliftonville finally broke the deadlock after 25 minutes. Sean Robertson delivered an inch perfect cross from the left and Rory Hale swept the ball home in the crowded area past Purcell to make it 1-0.
GOAL RUSH: Adebayo Fapetu celebrates scoring for the Reds
Coagh almost responded immediately when Ben Mallon crossed but Joshua Busteed glanced wide.
That warning sign wasn’t heeded, though, and the visitors restored parity a minute shy of the half hour mark.
Sam McIlveen’s corner was partially cleared but a cross from the right saw Ben Mallon react quickest to turn the ball in at the back stick to level matters. The Reds’ best chance to retake the lead came when Sean Robertson weaved his way into a shooting position, only to see his shot cleared off the line, with Fapetu’s follow-up blocked, and it remained level at the break.
Cliftonville regained the lead six Adebayo Fapetu threaded a precise pass into the path of Sean Robertson who beat Purcell at his near post to make it 2-1. Robertson could have doubled his account within two minutes, but the impressive Purcell made the first of a series of magnificent stops to keep the home team at bay. The lead could have been extended on several occasions with Jonny Addis going close a few times. But with a quarter of an hour remaining, substitute Joe Gormley beat the offside trap and rolled the ball home to move within a strike of breaking the magic 300-goal barrier.
Purcell twice denied substitute Callum McCay in the closing quarter of an hour before Eric McWoods made an impact from the bench, springing to glance home from Rory Hale’s corner in injury time and ensuring it was in the end a comfortable evening – on the scoreboard at least.
CLIFTONVILLE: Ridd, Casey (Wilson 63’), Addis, Keaney, Lavery, Fapetu (McCay 76’), Hale, Robertson (McWoods 86’), Hawthorne, Curran (Gormley 63’), Bermingham (Falls 63’).
COAGH UNITED:Purcell, Wilson (Smyton 76’), Bell, L McMenemy, R McMenemy, Mallon (Cowden 59’), MacGregor (Ferson 59’), Monaghan (McElveen 76’), Busteed, McIlvenn (Leighton 76’), M McMenemy.
REFEREE: Ben Shepherd
