Loan Watch: three young stars open goalscoring accounts

Apr 28, 2022 | Archive

Larne’s young loanees have been continued to gain valuable experience across the NIFL Championship and Premier Intermediate League, something which clearly paying off with all three players opening their goalscoring accounts in recent weeks.

The loan spells are drawing to a close for Dylan Sloan and Max Greer at Knockbreda, while Nick Aretzis’ campaign at Bangor may be extended by a promotion play-off.

There were mixed fortunes as Knockbreda fight to stay up, while Bangor continue in their their race for promotion in the tier below.

Max Greer and Dylan Sloan

It has been a tough season for Knockbreda who are fighting for survival in the LOUGH 41 Championship. They are in 11th place, three points clear of Queen’s University who are in the automatic relegation spot.

Last weekend the Upper Braniel club did their survival chances the world of good recently with a 2-1 win over Ards. To make things better for Larne, Max Greer and Dylan Sloan were the goal scorers.

It was scoreless at the break but Greer found the opener two minutes into the second half. He slotted home after a great cross from Anthony Burns.

Twenty minutes later it was 2-0 when Sloan finished well after a cut back from ex Cliftonville midfielder Stephen Garrett. Ards pulled a consolation goal back at the death but it was too late to stop Knockbreda getting a vital win.

That win followed a 3-3 draw against Ballyclare Comrades at Dixon Park. That result confirmed Ballyclare’s place in the Championship for another season.

Knockbreda’s next game is away to Institute at the Ryan McBride Brandywell on Saturday.

Nick Aretzis

There’s an exciting race for the title in the Premier Intermediate League between Newington, Bangor and Armagh City. Newington currently lead the way on 48 points with Bangor four points behind.

Larne’s young Australian defender Nick Aretzis (pictured above, right) played the full 90 minutes on a disappointing day for Bangor.

Their title hopes took a hit when they fell to a 5-0 defeat at home to the North Belfast side on Saturday. It was a result that few could have predicted given the Seasiders’ form this season.

Newington took the lead after six minutes when Jack Reilly rounded off a counter attack with a fine finish. Their lead was doubled at the beginning of the second half with Patrick Downey tapping in at the back post.

Gary Warwick made it three on 79 minutes and Downey scored his second of the game barely a minute later. The scoring was rounded off by Conal Burns in stoppage time.

Nick was among the goals in his previous game, a 2-2 draw away to Dollingstown.

He tapped in from an Isaac Fletcher cross to get his first goal for the club and level the match at 1-1.

The Clandeboye Park outfit were reduced to 10 men after David Hume handled the ball on the line.

Bangor almost won despite the dismissal and led 2-1 but Dollingstown levelled with 20 minutes to go through a deflected shot from Ben Neill.

Next up for Bangor is a trip to Limavady United on Saturday.

Depending on the results in these closing games,  all three loan players could face each other in a relegation/promotion play-off for a place in next season’s Championship.

 

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