Four star Larne blow Institute away

Institute 0 Larne 4
Larne's Jeff Hughes netted twice at the Brandywell, on Saturday.Larne's Jeff Hughes netted twice at the Brandywell, on Saturday.
Larne's Jeff Hughes netted twice at the Brandywell, on Saturday.

It was a case of a four star second half goal blast from Larne, which saw them see off bottom side Institute.

Storm Ciara certainly was the winner of what was a disappointing first half, but after the break Tieran Lynch's side ran riot and could have won by a bigger margin.

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The home side gave debuts to Peter Doherty, Liam Walsh and James Henry, as they went in search of just their third league win of the season.

As for the visitors they made three changes, which defeated Ballyclare Comrades last week, with match winner Dean Jarvis, Lee Lynch and Harry Flowers all starting.

On a couple of occasions, despite playing into the terribly strong wind, Larne got in behind the 'Stute back line in the early stages but David McDaid and Martin Donnelly were unable to properly capitalise.

Institute's first wind assisted effort came on 27 minutes but Alex Pomeroy's long range strike, failed to trouble Larne keeper Conor Devlin and flew well off target.

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Just after the half-hour mark John Herron got clear of the 'Stute defence, his right wing cut-back found McDaid, but the ex-Derry City front man was unable to get a proper touch on the ball.

McDaid should have given Larne the lead on 35 minutes after he latched onto Herron's pass, but with only 'Stute keeper Rory Brown to beat, his side footed effort from just inside the box was saved by the net-minder.

The Inver Park men deservedly took the lead on 52 minutes as Lee Lynch’s left wing corner, which was trying to find Flowers, was headed into his own net by the unfortunate Conor Tourish.

McDaid doubled Larne’s lead on 64 minutes, making no mistake from close range, just nipping in front of team-mate Donnelly to turn the ball home.

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Minutes later Larne added a third as Jeff Hughes' low 30 yard plus drive, seemed to skip off the wet surface and catch out the diving Brown.

The visitors added a fourth from the penalty spot on 70 minutes, as McDaid superbly latched onto Donnelly's pass, before he was brought down inside the box by Brown, leaving referee Lee Tavinder with no option but to point to spot, from which Hughes made no mistake, drilling the ball high into the roof of the net.

Hughes missed a glorious chance to complete his hat-trick moments, as he was denied from the penalty spot by a smart save by Brown, diving to his left to keep the effort out, after substitute Joseph Tully was brought inside the box by 'Stute sub Ryan Morrow.

Brown had to make another top save in the closing stages when he superbly kept out Ben Tiley’s close range strike, after Tully's inch perfect assist had created the opening.

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Institute: R Brown, Curry, Tourish, Doherty; McCauley, Tweed (Brogan HT), Henry; Burke (Morrow 72), Obhakhan, Pomeroy (G Brown 67), Walsh.

Larne: Devlin, Cosgrove, Flowers, Watson, Jarvis; Sule, Herron (Tully 73) Hughes; Lynch, McDaid (Randall 76), Donnelly.

Referee: Lee Tavinder (Portadown).

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