Callum Marshall 10', Michael Newberry 12', 48', Billy Chadwick 19', 32', 68', Jamie Mulgrew 25', Andrew Clarke 35', Jordan Stewart 38', Ahmed Salam 77' Christy Manzinga 86'
David Walsh (GK), Ross Larkin, Michael Newberry, Niall Quinn, Kirk Millar (Trai Hume 45’), Jamie Mulgrew © (Cormac Austin 45’), Joshua Archer, Ahmed Salam, Callum Marshall (Jordan Stewart 28’), Andrew Clarke (Matt Green 71’), Billy Chadwick (Christy Manzinga 71’)
Tom Hegan (GK), Mark Johnston, Nathan Riddle, Cameron Croft, Paul Waite, Jordan Hutchings, Kyle McCleary, Tony Tumilty (C), Benjamin Magee, Jake Moore, Andrew Ferguson
The PSNI 20th anniversary celebrations didn’t get off to the best of starts as PSNI FC were on the wrong end a heavy defeat at the hands of merciless Linfield at Windsor Park in the third round of the League Cup this evening.
16 year-old forward Callum Marshall set the ball rolling on his third Linfield appearance when he opened the scoring after ten minutes. The youngster netted his first goal for the club when he was slipped in by Billy Chadwick inside the box, before firing the ball clinically past the goalkeeper with his left foot. Unfortunately, Marshall had to come off with an injury after 28 minutes but no doubt, it was a special night for him and a fantastic achievement to be proud of, to score for the first team aged just 16. It was also a night to remember for midfielder Cormac Austin who made his debut at just 15 years of age as a half-time substitute and he too can be very proud of a most assured display.
Michael Newberry made it 2-0 just two minutes later when he rose strongly to produce a header to match. The header was well placed into the corner of the net from Niall Quinn’s corner.
It was 3-0 to the Blues after 19 minutes. David Healy’s men were attacking at will and Kirk Millar was causing all sorts of havoc for the visitors, and the winger set up the third goal with a glorious whipped cross in from the right which was well finished by Billy Chadwick who headed into the corner from a central position.
Linfield captain Jamie Mulgrew made it four on 25 minutes. The midfielder seized upon the ball which ran loose after Andrew Clarke’s shot was beaten away and Mulgrew burst into the box past two men before scoring with a composed finish into the far corner.
The goals kept flowing and on 32 minutes it was 5-0. Hull City loanee Billy Chadwick netted his second. The forward converted from close range after Andrew Clarke’s shot from Jordan Stewart’s pull-back was saved. The PSNI players were appealing for an offside against Chadwick as Clarke hit his shot, but the officials appeared to call it right.
Andrew Clarke then got the goal he was knocking on the door for as he made it 6-0 on 35 minutes. The attacker scored his second goal in Linfield colours when it was squared to him by Kirk Millar who raced in behind and Clarke put the ball into the roof of the net from close range.
Jordan Stewart made it 7-0 before the break with the best goal of the night. The ball was worked to Stewart following a corner and the Linfield star cut in past a defender on to his left foot before arrowing a sweet strike into the corner from the guts of 25 yards.
It could have been ever more at the break as Kirk Millar was unlucky to see a fierce strike from the edge of the box strike the crossbar, whilst Ross Larkin headed just wide from a Millar cross and Ahmed Salam will have been disappointed not to score when he swept over from close range following Billy Chadwick’s left wing cross.
Half Time: Linfield 7 – 0 PSNI
The Blues threatened twice in the early stages of the second half as they showed no let-up. Half-time substitute Trai Hume almost made an immediate impact as he drove up the pitch before shifting the ball onto his left and seeing his left-footed shot from 10 yards well saved by the goalkeeper down to his left. The goalkeeper made another fine save a minute later when he somehow managed to push Ross Larkin’s header onto the post after the big defender met a pinpoint Niall Quinn delivery.
The visiting goalkeeper could only keep Linfield at bay for so long as the scoring was continued three minutes into the second half. Niall Quinn delivered an inviting corner and Michael Newberry got on the end of it at the Kop end to head a downward header in for his second of the night and Linfield’s eighth.
On 68 minutes it was nine for Linfield as loanee forward Billy Chadwick completed his hat-trick. Chadwick was rewarded for his persistence as he chased down a defender and dispossessed him of the ball inside the box before closing in from the left side of the box and hammering a shot into the far corner.
Linfield entered double figures on 77 minutes when Trai Hume broke away down the right and when he picked out Christy Manzinga at close range in the middle, the striker looked certain to score, but the goalkeeper made a great save. There was nothing he could do however when Ahmed Salam tucked away the rebound at the back post for his second Linfield goal to join fellow Hull City loanee Billy Chadwick on the scoresheet.
Substitute Christy Manzinga got back on the goal trail when he ran from deep and it seemed to open up for him as his teammate runners took defenders away from the ball. Manzinga closed in before firing emphatically high into the net for his 11th goal of the season. He had the ball in the net again a minute later but this time it was disallowed for offside.
It finished eleven, three goals shy of Linfield’s record winning margin but could have been more. Matt Green will be disappointed not to have scored late on from close range after it opened up for him. Christy Manzinga also saw a powerful strike smash back off the crossbar, whilst Trai Hume was denied by another great save as he was picked out by a deep Niall Quinn corner and Hume’s volley was superbly tipped out by the ‘keeper.
It was a tough night for a young PSNI team in a transitional period and without a number of first team players through injury. Managed by former Carrick Rangers stalwart Glenn Taggart, PSNI were knocked out in the last round by Institute, however ‘Stute played an ineligible player and so PSNI were reinstated to the competition. These events helped set up the tie which was meant to be played weeks ago and as such, it’s a quick turnaround as Linfield travel to face David Jeffrey’s Ballymena United in the Quarter Final next Tuesday evening.
Full Time: Linfield 11 – 0 PSNI
Match Images
