Swifts get up and running

Banbridge Rangers Swifts 3

BANBRIDGE Rangers Swifts are now officially up and running after making their competitive league debut in the Newcastle League Division Two away to Kirkstown last Saturday.

This is the third senior team for Banbridge Rangers to get off the ground after only five years in existence in order to accommodate the influx of players to the club.

This was going to be a tough opener for the Swifts against the newly formed club from the Ards Peninsula with a depleted squad available due to other commitments on the day.

Both teams started off nervously and there were tentative exchanges early on but Kirkstown were first to settle into the game and after ten minutes they took the lead with a long range effort.

This was followed up with another goal against Rangers Swifts after some neat football from the home team which saw a good finish past the stand in keeper Paul Burns.

This prompted Rangers into action who had taken time to come into the contest with the home side playing to their strengths and played a very physical game. The visitors found some composure and with an excellent move up the left hand side, a through ball from Mathew ‘Gribbio’ Gribbin fed striker Bryan Dobbin who found the bottom corner of the net with a clinical finish to leave Swifts 2-1 down at the half time interval.

The second half mirrored much the first period with Kirkstown being very competitive all over the pitch. The Kirkstown side was pressing hard and got rewarded with a lobbed goal from outside the area.

To their credit the Swifts never let their heads drop continued to fight hard with Richie Baird and Ian Beattie starting to win the midfield battle.

Rangers pressed hard with Colin Grey putting an excellent ball in for Stuart Cairns to power home an excellent header making it 3-2 to the home side. With five minutes remaining the Rangers team grabbed a dramatic equaliser with David Rodgers supplying an excellent ball in for Colin Grey to convert at the back post.

A point was well received by all who made the long journey with this week’s match taking place at the designated home pitch at Dromore Leisure Centre against Downpatrick Celtic Reserves.