Bens On The Up

Yoker Athletic 0 Benburb 3

It was more Holiday Jet Saturday than helicopters at Holm Park with planes overhead every few minutes as Bens booked their flight to Division One with a convincing victory over Yoker today.
Bens' Gary McKenna capped a terrific season with a 5 star performance scoring a brilliant double that secured victory and promotion. The Bens' centre, in his first season from the amateurs, came close after 5 minutes when the keeper did well to turn his 20 yard free kick past the post.
The resulting corner produced a good old-fashioned 'stramash' as a Bens' header was blocked on the line and the Yoker defenders were strong enough to block twice the Bens push.
With an interested delegation from St Rochs looking on, Bens had the upper hand in the match as they looked to get an early advantage.
After 20 minutes or so, Gary McKenna provided the breakthrough as he received a pass on the edge of the box with his back to goal, before rounding the defender and firing his shot into the bottom corner.
It came as a great relief to the Bens contingent who had been through this last day 'ordeal' for several seasons and they responded encouraging every Bens tackle, pass and move until the interval.
The second half began with Bens knowing a second goal would be required and they provided one in a fashion worthy of winning any match. As Yoker pushed on, a long clearance found Ally Mackenzie on the left wing; he switched to his right foot and whipped in a lethal cross to Gary McKenna who nodded into the bottom corner.
On the hour mark, a late tackle on Quinn gave Bens a free kick in their own area. As the Bens' keeper recovered, Wright struck a long ball over the Yoker backs to McKenna who unleashed a volley on the run which crashed off the crossbar. So close to a hat-trick that no-one could have denied the Bens' centre after an explosive performance.
Bens put themselves on easy street in the closing minutes when a Gary Carroll shot was deflected past the Yoker keeper giving them an unassailable 3-0 lead.
The Tinto side now look forward to Division One with an impressive young squad, who if kept together, provide optimism that the Bens may once again feature in the higher levels of the Junior game.
Well done to everyone involved.

BENBURB: Quinn, Gillan, Lavery, McInnes, Wright, Lavery, Clark, Carroll, McKenna, Waddell,
Mackenzie.