By Peter Wilson at Inver Park
CHAMPIONSHIP winners Larne edged out H&W Welders 2-1 at Inver Park after a late comeback was staged by Colin McIlwaine’s charges.
David McDaid’s two goals means the striker has now scored in his last 12 appearances for the Invermen while Ross Arthurs’ goal came too late to allow the Welders to rescue a point from the game.
The home side began on the front foot, scoring after just two minutes when Ben Tilney on the left played in Huddersfield loanee Dom Tear, who crossed the ball to the unmarked David McDaid to sweep home to make it 1-0.
The home side had the vast majority of possession throughout, but were unable to create many meaningful opportunities, with visiting goalkeeper Matthew Armstrong looking assured.
The lead was doubled on 64 when McDaid’s sublime free kick from 20 yards out gave Matthew Anderson no chance as it sailed over the Welders’ keeper into the bottom right hand corner
Fuad Sule sought to make it three nine minutes later but his long-range effort could only whizz over the bar.
The visitors pulled one back on 89 minutes after Jack O’Mahony played the ball out wide to fellow substitute Chris McKay. He squared the ball into Ross Arthurs to blast past Conor Devlin from four yards out.
Larne: Devlin, Sule (Hassin 79), Ramsey, McEleney, McDaid, Donnelly, Tilney (Scullion 79), McNally, Tear (Lynch 62), Cosgrove, Hughes
Unused Subs: Dougherty, Stuart
H&W Welders: Anderson, McMurtry, Armstrong, McMillan, Gardiner, Dornan, Graham (O’Mahony 75), Morrow (McKay 86), Ferguson, Arthurs, Rainey (Prentice 64)
Unused subs: Brown, Bolton
Referee: Glenn Buchanan
Man of the Match: Fuad Sule (Larne)
Photo: Bill Guiller
