Blue Brazil in town
Thursday, 8 July 2010
Roy Walker.
BALLYMENA United take on Scottish Division 1 side Cowdenbeath on Saturday at the Showgrounds (3pm), writes Shaun O'Neill.
Jimmy Nicholl's side will stay at Galgorm Manor Hotel during their short match tour - and will train at the Showgrounds later in the week.
Last week Guardian Sport revealed Cowdenbeath could be coming to town.
This week we confirm they will be!
There was talk the game could end up being played a Seaview due to the unavailability of the Showgrounds pitch.
Visiting
Ballymena Mayor, Councillor Maurice Mills, most keen to have the visiting team in town, made a few enquires - and Green Pastures soccer side, who play a United Select side on Wednesday night on the main arena, very kindly switched their match to Pitch 2. This means that Nicholl's side will be in Ballymena Show-grounds on Saturday.
Incidentally, the Scottish side will not feel out of place at the United venue. For like the Showgrounds their pitch is surrounded by a race track! Boss Walker is delighted Cowden-beath will give his side a pre-season game.
“We start off with a tough match against them, and finish our build-up against Scottish Premier League side St. Mirren (July 31)," Walker told Guardian Sport.
Meanwhile, Wednes-day night's match against Green Pastures will raise money to help finance Green Pastures' Freedom House girls' home - the church's planned residential programme and home for young women suffering the effects of addiction, abuse and life-controlling issues.
Walker is likely to use the likes of Denver Gage, Mark Surgenor, George Young, Maurice McDowell, Michael Smith (the younger one) and Ghanian Emmanuel in his starting line up.
While the match is on the rest of the Sky Blue panel will train - and train hard. New assistant United manager Wesley Gregg has been putting the players through their paces in recent days.
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