On Saturday Killymoon Rangers Reserves put last year's Mid-Ulster Reserve Division One Champions to the sword in a dramatic opening forty-five minutes to consolidate their eight game unbeaten record and top six position in the league at Beechway.

On a partly frozen pitch the Reserves were determined to get one over their old adversaries which they hadn't beaten in the last four or five seasons. Despite Laurelvale fielding a team with several first team squad players Fluke and Warwick's men pummelled the opposition from the first whistle giving them little time on the ball and winning tackle after tackle and header after header. From a series of early corners Johnny Scott and Jason Devlin's good work tested the Laurelvale back four. This early pressure gave Killymoon a dramatic lead when Scott's whipped cross was met by the superb Conal Kilpatrick who leapt like a salmon to head home the opener after fifteen minutes, a fantastic goal from a player still recovering from ankle ligament damage since the start of December. It could so easily have been two goals to the good for the Reserves when Devlin smashed home another superb Scott corner five minutes later only for the ref to blow for a foul on the Laurelvale keeper. This let-off sparked Laurelvale into action as they pushed for the equaliser. The back four of Kyle and Brian Smith, Mark Freeburn and Conal Kilpatrick had to be at their best to withstand a tall, strong and pacey Laurelvale frontline in front of keeper Steven McKernan. In midfield the central duo of Ryan Glasgow and Jeff Hall, supported by Jason Devlin and Mustafa Kaplan on the flanks, fought like lions against their more experienced Laurelvale counterparts. This desire and work rate created Killymoon's second when a superb through ball by Kaplan was hammered home by Glasgow from the edge of the box, his second of the season after twenty-five minutes. With Johnny Scott and Cameron Stewart defending from the front like men possessed, Killymoon broke again against a static Laurelvale back four. This industry delivered Scott an opening which was well blocked by the keeper with the rebound gleefully struck home by the impressive Kaplan, his second of the season with ten minutes to the half time whistle. Killymoon were in seventh heaven with such effiency in front of goal with Laurelvale shell-shocked at how well the homesters were performing.

Into the second half Laurelvale pushed three up front to try and get something out of the game. Stevie Mckernan had to punch clear on several occasions as Laurelvale lumped balls into the six yard box. But Kilpatrick and Freeburn stood firm in the centre of defence to deny Laurelvale time and time again. With Killymoon defending deeper and Laurelvale pushing on, Scott, Stewart and Kaplan all had great chances to put the game out of sight denied by the Laurelvale keeper. Gavin McGuckin, Peter Sloan and Marty McCormack replaced Hall, Scott and Stewart in the latter stages of the game to freshen tired legs up at a stage when Laurelvale to their credit started to dominate possession. But it was all too little too late for the Armagh side as Killymoon's best forty-five minutes of the season crushed their old adversaries in a ruthless manner.

Co-manger Alan Fluke commented at the end of the game,'this was without doubt the best forty-five minutes by the Reserves in a couple of seasons against a very experienced Laurelvale side who came to Cookstown with their strongest side of the season. The guys fought like lions for every ball and their work rate and togetherness delivered the three points,a fantastic performance!' Next week the Reserves take on old foes Tandragee in the third round of the O'Hara Cup at Fairhill, kick off 1.30pm.

TEAM: Steven Mckernan, Kyle Smith, Mark Freeburn, Conal Kilpatrick, Brian Smith, Mustafa Kaplan, Jeff Hall, Ryan Glasgow, Jason Devlin, Johnny Scott, Cameron Stewart. Subs: Gavin McGuckin, Peter Sloan, Marty McCormack.