Farm boss Rutledge rues missed first half chances

Orchard Farm bowed out of the IFA Junior Cup in the first round after a narrow defeat to Carrickfergus club Woodlands. Two second half goals from the visitors were enough to secure their place in the next round, but Orchard Farm manager Johnny Rutledge thought that if his side could have turned their first half dominance into goals, then the outcome could have been different.
“We started off well and were on top and I reckon if we had taken our chances in the first half we would have cruised to victory,” he said. “They weren’t dangerous and our keeper didn’t have a save to make in the first half but fitness told with the high intensity of the game. We matched their intensity in the first half, but as the game got on it told on some of us. It was a bit of a difference for us. Their two goals came from corners and we just weren’t switched on, but I’m only there a month but already things are moving in the right direction.”
The crucial moment of the first half and a moment that the manager believed could have decided the game was the referee’s decision not to award Orchard farm a penalty when Matty Green went crashing to the ground inside the penalty area. “He was taken down by two men at one time when he was clean through on goal,” reckoned the manager. “We have had three penalties this year already, and that was more a certain penalty than any of the three we got.”
Despite their appeals no spot kick was given, but the home team had other chances to convert their first half pressure into goals, but although debutant Lloyd McClean was causing problems for the Woodlands defence he could not force the ball into the net.
As the game progressed Woodlands posed more of a threat of their own and after an hour finally broke the deadlock when they scored following a corner. Five minutes later they had doubled their advantage with a second goal from a corner, and Ian Carson in the Orchard Farm goal had to be at his best to prevent them moving further ahead.
Substitute Carl Woods came on for his first game for the club and headed in a Scott Armstrong corner in the 89th minute, but it was too late to alter the outcome of the match as Woodland held on to go through to round two.