Comber Rec In Top Form Against Hollywood FC
Toals Steel & Sons Cup Round 5,
Venue: Park Way, Comber. On Saturday 21st October 2023,
Final Score: Comber Rec 4 0 Hollywood FC.
Comber were in great form today against a belleaguered Hollywood side who at times created sporadic opportunities but were basically under the cosh from the whistle writes Jim Masson.
Dylan Wilson just missed a header within minutes to the top right hand corner after Comber made a quick break and the home side started to put Hollywood under pressure.
In the early stages of the match Hollywood did create a number of opportunities but went home goal-less despite their best efforts.
Comber clicked well as a team and the defence were mostly too sharp for the hapless Hollywood.
Hollywood’s captain Callum James broke into the Comber half and who shot tried to shoot but settled for a corner… which was snapped up by keeper Corey Pollock in great form.
Comber stepped up the pressure on Hollywood and a cross from winger Elliot Wilson to the hard working Dylan Wilson in the box looked promising but the attack was defused by the Hollywood defenders.
33 PHOTOS OF THE COMBER MATCH V HOLLYWOOD FC by Jim Masson ©
But the pressure paid off and Comber won a penalty on 10 minutes when Matthew Tumilson hit the back of the Hollywood net to open the scoring.
Tumilson took another penalty in the 50th minute too when Brett Conville was impeded in the box heading for the goal which settled Comber and secured their game advantage.
Up to this point Comber had applied themselves well as a team using the pitch well.
At 35 minutes Comber were still at that stage trying to put the game beyond Hollywood but needed that second elusive goal.
Corey Pollock was playing inspirationally. A low ball from Joshua Craig to Colin Crawford was snapped up by the Comber keeper at ease.
But Hollywood had a chance when James hit the ball on target at the Comber goal and Pollock could only deflect it back out.
It was then volleyed by Crawford striking accurately on target but again Pollock read it well and caught the ball as it clattered off a defender.
In a counterattack, McKinley fouled defender Ciaran Gillian and Tumlinson took the free kick kick and converted.
In the ensuing action Kris Gaw was taken down on the edge of the box facing the Hollywood goal on 21 minutes and a free kick awarded.
Comber were certainly creating chances at around 30 minutes
Then on a break Colin Crawford took a shot at the Comber goal and keeper Pollock pushed the ball back to put James who close in launched a firm shot but Pollock responded well blocking the shot.
Hollywood did try several assaults on the Comber goal but they were repelled strongly by a competent defence quick to challenge the intruders.
Comber retaliated and a cross to the head of Thomas Wilson saw the glancing header just narrowly pass the back post.
Then Hollywood won a corner. The ball was heading to inside the back post when Pollock just managed at full stretch to get his fingers to the ball putting it out for another corner.
A long ball from Pollack to Brett Conville was promptly passed on to Tumilson who hit a half volley but it was made safe by Holywood keeper Ryan James.
After Tumilson nailed the second penalty into the Hollywood net on 50 minutes, as the second half warmed up, Simon Hanna played a lovely long ball to Elliot Wilson but he was just a little bit offside.
Hollywood seemed to go to sleep at this point feeling the constant Comber grind. Dylan Wilson made a tremendous break on the left and managed to stay onside and get behind the Hollywood defence right on the goal line passing back to Ciaran Gillian whose shot just went a fraction wide.
Dylan Wilson just seemed to get better and better as the match progressed, attacking on the left and once again rounding the defence and getting a shot at the goal.
But as the game played out, it became a more physical affair and Andrews took down Gaw as the visitors tried to step up their efforts. The free kick was taken by Conville and it sailed just inches over the top bar.
At 50 minutes the referee dished out two yellow cards to Hollywood players as the tensions rose.
33 PHOTOS OF THE COMBER MATCH V HOLLYWOOD FC by Jim Masson ©
Hollywood were failing to made any real threatening attacks to the Comber goal. The home side were putting the visitors under severe pressure spending most of their time attacking in the Hollywood half.
Conville was working hard up front for Comber and on 70 minutes kicked at the Hollywood goal only to see his shot on target deflected off a defender for a corner.
Comber were on a roll and on 82 minutes Brett Conville scored after a brilliant move by Dylan Wilson went dodged along the back line cutting the ball back which Conville struck hitting a defender en route to the back of the Hollywood net.
Gaw was fouled again near the boundary of the Hollywood box and sub Harry Grierson took the free kick smashing the ball forcing the keeper to push it back out when Simon Hanna closed in and quickly knocked it in for their third goal on 82 minutes.
Then 4 minutes later Hanna iced the Comber cake with a goal that secured their place in the semi-final of the Toals Bet.com Steel&Sons Cup.
THis was a strong performance by Comber who and coming into form at the right time. Hollywood failed to show on the day and were beaten by a stronger outfit who used the pitch and the wings well and basically played as a team.
***
Comber Rec: 1 Corey Pollock (GK) 2 Ciaran Gillian 3 Lex Walker 4 Stuart Moore 5 Reece Whittle 6 Kristopher Gaw 7 Dylan Wilson 8 Simon Hanna (C) 9 Brett Conville 10 Matthew Tumilson 11 Elliot Wilson. Subs: 12 Brandon Nelson 14 Stuart Hanna 15 Matthew Gibson 16 Harry Grierson 17 Andrew Laird.
Hollywood FC: Ryan James (GK) 2 Daniel Hamilton 3 Martin Cox 4 Luke Bradley 5 Thomas Wilson 6 Matthew Andrews 7 Joshua Craig 8 Stephen Anderson (C) 9 Callum James 10 Colin Crawford 11 John James McKinley. Subs: 12 Rudi Little 14 Shea Haughey 15 Patrick White 16 Conor Brady 17 Rory Graham (GK).
