Northern Ireland
Ballymena Saturday Morning League
Division 3
Saturday 25th April 2026
Kick Off 10.15 On Time!
Ravel Rovers 0 Cullybackey Blues 6, attendance 26
8’ 0-1
13’ 0-2
22’ 0-3
37’ 0-4
52’ 0-5
60’ 0-6
@ Cargan Park
Glenravel Road
Cargan
BT43 6RE
No Admission or Programme.
Staying in Portrush, on the north coast of County Antrim, meant this morning kick off in the lowest division of the Ballymena Saturday Morning League fitted the bill perfectly for this morning’s action, despite being a forty minute drive in the wrong direction for my favoured afternoon game. Cargan Park is a single pitch venue, entered via a gap between the houses as you head north on the A43 Glenravel Road through the village, with a superb backdrop of the Glens of Antrim, which looked even better on a sunny day like this. There’s a small car park, that could only accommodate about a dozen cars, raised behind the near goal, with the changing rooms in the corner just beyond. There was access to all four sides of the pitch, with each teams ‘benches’ setting up opposite each other. The local petrol station was where the majority of the crowd got their refreshments and hot drinks, about fifty yards from the ground entrance.
The match was 11th versus 2nd in the league table, with the visitors taking an early lead and never really looking like being pegged back. The opener came after cutting in from the left before sending an angled shot into the far corner. A downward header at the far post saw them double their lead, before they made it 0-3 midway through the half, heading a cross back across the ‘keeper into the far corner for the No.9 Gary Glass to complete his hattrick. Ravel had an effort hit the post soon after, but a cross from the right saw a first time shot between the legs of the ‘keeper to make it 0-4 eight minutes before the break. Right on halftime Ravel had an effort saved by the visiting ‘keeper, with the follow up cleared off the line by a covering defender. Seven minutes into the second half Cullybackey added a fifth goal, finishing one on one after a ball over the top. They added number six on the hour mark, when a cross from the right was finished with a first time shot into the bottom corner. Somehow no more goals arrived in the last half an hour, despite both teams creating a number of good chances.
With everyone staying on the pitch at halftime, for a break of barely five minutes, this was all over by 11.51, leaving ample time for me to head westwards again for my afternoon match.
