Jonte Smith Scores In Ballymena United Win
Bermuda’s Jonte Smith scored his first goal for the Northern Ireland based Ballymena United team as they played to a 4-3 victory over Dungannon Swifts.
The club’s match report said, “United’s second home game of the league season saw two changes from the side that was humbled by Coleraine on Saturday, as Caolan Loughran replaced the injured Conor Keeley and Jonte Smith made way for Steven McCullough.
Post Match Interview with Jonté Smith & Chrissy Rodgers
“With twenty-eight minutes gone the Swifts took a deserved lead. Ethan McGee got himself in down the wing, but after his first shot was blocked, it fell back to McGee who slotted into the far corner.
“The hosts had Jordan Williamson to thank for preventing it from being 2-0 just three minutes later. Campbell fired a low ball across the six yard box and Darragh McBrien got on the end of it, only to be denied by a stunning save, before United somehow cleared their lines in a scramble.
“With five minutes to go to half time it was 2-0, and Ballymena could’ve had no complaints. McCready, who left The Showgrounds in the summer, was fed the ball on the edge of the box, and after holding off Owen McKeown, he curled a quality effort past Williamson. Before the half time whistle it should’ve been 3-0 when Ryan Mayse was played in over the top, but Williamson made another fine stop, as a disastrous first half saw Ballymena two down at the break.
“With David Jeffrey having to do something at the break to turn the match around, Lee Chapman and Jonte Smith were introduced, and it was a stroke of genius as both produced outstanding second half displays.
“The away side were the first to go close in the half when a stinging McBrien shot from twenty-five yards was well held by Williamson, and shortly afterwards United had a goal back from nowhere. Ross Redman was back to his delivering best as he swung a corner in, which was met by Chrissy Rodgers who headed home his first goal since his Ballymena return.
“If Ballymena’s defending had been poor in the first half, Dungannon’s was right there with it in the second as Redman’s ball in caused a mix up between the centre half’s and goalkeeper, and it looks as if Smith, a constant threat in the second half, got the final touch ahead of Adam Glenny, who couldn’t keep the ball out on the line despite his best efforts.”
