Hazelbank close in on league title

The Coleraine men took a narrow victory away to Riverside Athletic, followed by comfortable victories over FC Macosquin and Coleraine Olympic.

They now sit six points clear of nearest realistic challengers Berthas FC and nine points ahead of Riverside Athletic.

This Friday will see the first final of the season with The Taverners facing Berthas FC at Rugby Avenue pitch 1 in the Challenge Shield.

The two teams have one victory apiece against each other this season so it's a 50/50 shout as to who is going to be victorious in this one.

Keep up to date with all the action at www.htwl.leaguerepublic.com.

Coleraine Olympic 0 Hazelbank FC 8

Coleraine Olympic managed to field a starting 11 but had to look for their more experienced players.

It took Hazelbank 21 minutes to open the scoring after a good strong defensive display, Nigel Sheppard got things going for Hazelbank before Colin McClarty got the first of his five on 30minutes.

Olympic still managed to hold Hazelbank with only half chances being created, 2-0 at the break.

A better start to the second half for Hazelbank, Colin McClarty got his second on 54 minutes,and on 64 minutes he completed his hat trick. With four games in the past seven days, Hazelbank where able to change around the players, with a further hectic week coming up. Garth Hutchinson got Hazelbank's fourth and fifth goals, all set up by McClarty, who turned in a perfect man of the match performance by adding to his already impressive goal tally, by scoring two more on 86th and 90th minutes. Man of the Match: Colin McClarty (Hazelbank FC)

Berthas FC 2 Dunaghy Old Boys 2

Berthas came into this one short of personnel with a number of players missing due to injury and suspension, the packed fixture schedule beginning to take its toll on and it showed in another lacklustre performance.

They were the slightly better team in the opening exchanges and could have had an early lead through Davy Graham after he exchanged passes with Colin Rainey but Doherty was quick off his line to make the save.

They did though take the lead moments later when Cochrane raced down the right, cut inside of Adams before curling the ball beyond Doherty and into the net. Dunaghy hit back from the penalty spot moments later when a Berthas defender was harshly adjudged to have handled in the box.

Player manager Wilmont made no mistake, sending McCrory the wrong way. The second half was similar to the first, both teams looking leggy and failing to capitalise on decent chances until with 20 minutes to go, the home took the lead. David Patterson won the ball at the back before driving forward and finding Graham on the right wing. The defender continued his run into the box and met Grahams cross with a driving header into the bottom corner of the net.

Berthas suffered a set back moments later when they had a player amazingly sent off for a second yellow card for what looked like a nothing tackle, and despite protests from both sets of players, the referee still whipped out the red card. Dunaghy got the equaliser with four minutes to play when Arnie Blair cut in from the right before beating an unsighted McCrory at his near post with a powerful left footed strike. Man of the Match: David Patterson (Berthas FC)

Hillview FC 3 Riverside Athletic 4

The visitors arrived at the Crescent in a poor run of form, and with only one win in the last three, the last thing they needed as they squared up to the defending champions was to have neither of their established keepers available.

With striker Simon McLean volunteering for duty between the sticks Athletic began the better and went ahead on eleven minutes through Timmy Kernohan. Hillview responded well and leveled when former Athletic player headed past McLean on the half hour. From one up, ten minutes later the visitor's found themselves 2 - 1 down when a Mullan ball into the box came of the head of the unfortunate Adam Shield's to leave the hosts in the driving seat at the break. Shortly after the restart things went from bad to worse for Riverside when they were reduced to ten men when they had a player dismissed for a harsh second yellow card.

Showing great resolve the visitors dug deep and drew level with fifteen minutes remaining when inspirational captain Ricky Hanna weaved his way through the home defence to fire past McDowell.

Four minutes from time Hillview looked to have scored the winner when Black put Hillview 3 -2 ahead but with the points looking like staying in Coleraine Athletic came back again when Hanna made it 3 - 3 from a Blair free kick. With the game all square and a minute and a half remaining you would think both teams would have settled for a point, but as Riverside defended a corner kick Duffy's clearing header fell to Thompson who played in the pacy McGoldrick to seal an unlikely three points for Athletic. Man of the Match: Nathan Black (Hillview)

Balnamore FC 3 Brook Street 1

Balnamore completely dominated this game from start to finish without having to get out of second gear.

They opened the scoring when Nicky Tweed found himself in acres of space in midfield and he slid the ball into McKinnon who fired home.

Almost instantly it was two when Nicky Tweed again turned provider with a pinpoint free kick to Madison who headed home unchallenged inside the box.

It was all to easy for Balnamore and they quickly added a third when Madison put Mooney in on goal and Mooney calmly slotted through the keepers legs for three nil at half time.

The second half saw Balnamore make a host of chances but they were unable to add to their tally and completely against the run of player Nigel Law scored for Brook Street to give them a consolation goal. As time was running out Balnamore player manager Beetle Blair almost got on the score sheet when he tried to lob the keeper from twenty yards but it just didn't dip enough to find the net.

Then Nicky Tweed crossed to the back post and Madison's acrobatic overhead kick looked destined for the net but the keeper got down well and tipped it around the post. Man of the Match: Josie Kelly (Balnamore)

The Taverners 4 Mountview FC 2

This game started off in very windy conditions and it was the away side that adjusted to them the better and deserved to go in front through a Caldwell looping header from a corner.

After this the impressive McCurdy got the home team going and great work from him and McBride released Graur and he made no mistake hammering the ball home to make it 1-1.

The home side then had to depend on Graham and McCracken experience to get them through to half time on level-terms. The second half started with Mountview up for it and again went in front through Hardy's neat finish.

This brought action from McNabb and he brought on the experience of Patton and straight away he released Walker to hammer in the first of his brace to bring the teams level.

Now the Taverners were on top and when again Patton made two midfielders look silly he released Graur and his strength and pace was too much for McVicker and he squared for Walker to drill the home side in front for the first time.

Fair play to Mountview and they should really been on terms again but for Grahams excellent defending to keep the home side in front. Then ten mins from the end Patton and McCurdy spotted the Mountview defence stepped up looking for off-side but Graur was too pacy and raced clear round the keeper to make it 4-2 and wrap up the points for the home side much to the delight of manager McNabb who is looking forward to his first final as a manager on Friday night looking for revenge on a good Berthas team who knocked them out of the semi-final of the cup earlier in the season. Man of the Match: Danny Graham (The Taverners)

West Bann Athletic 3 FC Macosquin 0

West Bann Athletic continued their good run of late beating FC Macosquin 3-0 at Rugby Avenue 1.

FC started well and had Athletic for the most part on the back foot during the opening stages of the game, Athletic however dealt with the threat posed by FC and played some nice football into the bargain taking the lead after 15 minutes through Karl Doherty who made no mistake when he volleyed home from eight yards out after being picked out by Conor McCorriston's pinpoint right wing cross. FC reacted well to this setback and pushed looking for an equaliser, coming close on two occasions from set plays.

Athletic had chances of there own to add to there lead but failed to take any of them seeing out the half 1-0 in front.

Athletic went out for the second half in search of the all important second goal coming close on several occasions, however they had to wait until 70 minutes when Michael Olphert continued his fine goal scoring form of late giving the FC keeper no chance with his well placed strike.

Olphert then nearly turned provider when his cross was met on the volley by Pancott however the big man was denied with the FC keeper pulling off a great save. Within minutes FC had what was there only real clear cut chance of the second half and should really have done better when McGuinness found himself clean through with only goalkeeper James Tosh to beat, McGuinness' well struck shot however was well saved by Tosh who along with the rest of the Athletic rearguard deserved there clean sheet on the day.

Athletic made certain of the points shortly after, ending any feint hopes of an FC comeback, when McCorriston found the back of the net with a great finish on the half volley when picked out at the far post by Jonny Mitchell's inch perfect in-swinging cross. Man of the Match: Brendan Doherty (West Bann Athletic)

Ballyrashane Coronation 1 The Villagers 2

Colin McFarlane opened the scoring for The Villagers in this one with a clinical strike from just inside the box.

They went further in front through Richard Pollock went he fired home a belter of an effort from just outside the box. Ballyrashane pulled one back through Jason Johnston when the striker volleyed from John Doherty's inch perfect cross. Ballyrashane pushed and pushed for an equaliser and thought they had it when John Doherty raced clear to fire home only for the referee to chalk it off for a tight offside call.

It wasn't to be for an improving Ballyrashane team and it was the Villagers that seen the game out to take the three points. Man of the Match: Colin McFarlane (The Villagers)

Finn McCools 0 Somerset 3

A Gary Millar hat trick gave Somerset the points in this game and took his tally for the season to 45 goals. Man of the Match: Gary Millar (Somerset)

Results for Tuesday 20th April

Ballyrashane Coronation 5 v 6 Somerset

F.C Macosquin 1 v 5 Bertha's F.C

Mountview F.C 1 v 1 Finn McCool's

Riverside Athletic 0 v 1 Hazelbank

Villagers F.C 1 v 1 Dunaghy Old Boy's

West Bann Athletic 2 v 2 Hillview F.C

Results for Thursday 22nd April

Berthas FC 1 v 1 The Villagers

Finn McCool's 3 v 0 Coleraine Olympic

Hazelbank 4 v 1 F.C Macosquin

Hillview F.C 1 v 3 Balnamore F.C

Mountview F.C 2 v 2 Macosquin Village

Somerset 0 v 2 Taverners F.C

Fixtures for Tuesday 27th April

Bertha's F.C v West Bann Athletic Castlerock

Brook Street v Taverners F.C Crescent 3

Mountview F.C v Villagers F.C Rugby Avenue 3

Fixtures for Wednesday 28th April

Coleraine Olympic v Riverside Athletic Rugby Avenue 3

F.C Macosquin v Hazelbank Ballysally 2

Fixtures for Thursday 29th April

Dunaghy Old Boy's v Villagers F.C Dunaghy

Hillview F.C v Brook Street Crescent 3

Challenge Shield Final – Friday 30th April

Bertha's F.C v Taverners F.C Rugby Avenue 1

Fixtures for Saturday 1 May

Ballyrashane Coronation v Hillview Ballysally 2

Brook Street v F.C Macosquin Crescent 3

Coleraine Olympic v Macosquin Village Rugby Avenue 3

Dunaghy Old Boy's v Hazelbank Dunaghy

Finn McCool's v Villagers F.C Bushmills

Riverside Athletic v Mountview F.C Fulton Park

Somerset v West Bann Athletic Rugby Avenue 2