ONLY three Hutchinson Tiles Winter League games survived the weather on Saturday, but the big one of the day at Castlerock between Berthas FC and Mountview did survive and it was Mountview who did the rest of the league a favour by taking the points in a game that could have went either way.
A home team win would have put them well clear at the top but this result brought some Christmas cheer to the chasing pack, and means its all to play for in 2010.
The Taverners moved into second place in the league after Ricky McNabbs men won thei
r derby match against Dunaghy Old Boys. The preliminary round of the Hutchinson Tiles Cup was also played on Saturday between Ballyrashane and Hazelbank, with Hazelbank winning by an astonishing seventeen goals to one.
The league now takes its christmas break with all teams able to enjoy a two week break. After that its flat out till the end of the season with the next round of fixtures due to be played on the 9th of January.
The next delegates’ meeting will be held in the Railway Arms on Monday 4 January at 7pm. Registration of new players and transfers of currently registered players will be accepted at this meeting.
Lee Nevin is the current leader in the race for the N&N Trophies sponsored golden boot, the Hillview man winning his shoot-out with Somersets Gary Millar last weekend to put him one goal clear of Millar on 24 goals.
Andrie Graur of the Taverners has come roaring into it recently, 5 goals in 2 games puts him on 20 for the season along with Colin McFarlane of The Villagers with Berthas’ Andy Cochrane on 19.
Berthas FC 2 Mountview 3
Both teams had a few key players missing, but the league leaders would definitely have been favourites to win before the match.
It was indeed Bertha's who took an early lead, when Cochrane drilled his shot into the bottom corner of the net giving McClarty in the Mountview goal, no chance.
Mountview gradually found their feet and some good pressure on the Bertha's defence paid off when Caldwell headed in an equaliser on 15 minutes.
Mountview continued to pressurise the Bertha's defence for most of the first half, but Bertha's were always a threat on the counter attack. Cochrane then found himself one on one with the Mountview keeper, but McClarty was sharp off his line to smother the ball and keep Mountview in the game. Near the end of the first half, Mountview were awarded a penalty, when Smyth was brought down inside the box. Smyth himself took the penalty, but his spot kick went agonising wide of McCrory's goal.
With the last chance of the half Berthas Barry Greene thought he had give his side the lead going in at the break but his header was cleared off the line by Irwin.
The away team started the second half much stronger and took the lead on 60 minutes, Reid scoring from Caldwell's header inside the six yard box. Mountview then made it 3 - 1 when Reid scored again, controlling the ball in the box before turning his man and firing his shot into the back of the net. This 2 goal cushion gave Mountview extra confidence and the Bertha's players heads were starting to drop.
