HAVING clinched the title in style last Tuesday with a comprehensive win over bottom team Corrymeela, Thursday night’s clash between Newtownards RBL and Castle was no longer the winner-takes-all affair it had the makings of being, but instead a chance for the champions to finish the season with a 100% home record.
Castle did prevail when the two sides met recently in the Sittlington Cup final, but RBL held the upper hand in the league clashes to date, claiming four of the six points on offer. The early exchanges proved to be pretty even again here, with both teams creating chances in their efforts to claim the initiative, but the breakthrough came on 25 minutes when a goal of the season contender from Jamie Kissock saw the home team edge themselves in front.
Castle responded strongly though, and within a few minutes they had drawn level through leading scorer Dylan Hay. Hay then passed up the opportunity to send the visitors in front two minutes after that, seeing his penalty saved by RBL’s Neil Bennett.
Buoyed by that, a swift attack from RBL shortly afterwards saw David Brady break through the Castle defence to give the home team the lead for the second time at 2-1, and the hosts gave themselves some breathing space deep into first-half stoppage time with a well worked corner routine seeing Kris Gardiner race into the box to set up Robbie Reid who made it 3-1.
The second half proved to be a tight affair, but Castle were given hope of salvaging something from the game when Newtownards RBL were reduced to 10 men after Matthew Miskimmin picked up his second booking of the game.
However it didn’t seem to disrupt the home team, who saw out the game to claim their 12th win from 12 home games, ending the campaign as top goal scorers, with the best defensive record and more importantly, as champions by a seven-point margin.