Drumaness Mills Unlucky With Late Comber Rec Goal
The NAFL.
League Match, Division One.
Drumaness Mills 1 2 Comber Rec.
Drumaness Mills faced worthy opposition at Meadowvale on Saturday when they lined up for what should have been a tremendous clash writes Jim Masson.
However, with the miserable cold and wet weather conditions, a sodden pitch and a gusty wind blowing, both teams could be forgiven for not shining at their best.
As both teams locked horns, it was Comber Rec who drew first blood when Dylan Wilson nailed the ball into the Drumaness net when he received a cross into the middle of the box on 4 minutes into the game before Drumaness settled.
This was an early blow and Comber piled on the pressure with a number of pacey attacks.
On 12 minutes Comber forward set up a nice cross through to Elliot Watson who was just pipped to the ball by Drumaness defender Eoin Lundy whose clearance made sure the visitirs did not go 2 goals ahead.
But Drumaness found their feet once more and Jack Sharvin and Calum Dougan began to forage towards the Comber goal testing out the defence.
Dougan managed to break clear of the defence in a later charge and his shot unfortunately ricocheted off keeper Corey Pollock. Though the first half Drumaness had a few opportunities but keeper Pollock was on form thwarting their efforts.
Eoin Rooney was pushing up a gear and broke into the Comber box but defender Lex Walker made a solid intervention.
Then Kyle McLeery passed through to left winger Adam Kearney who volleyed at the Comber net but Pollock managed to hold the shot.
On 36 minutes, Walker side footed the ball to winger Andrew Dumigan who tried to knock the ball to the back post but his shot was just inches wide… a let off for Drumaness Mills.
Comber clawed their way back into the game again and Wilson managed to launch a solid drive on target dipping below the top bar but it was well held by keeper Conor McCann.
Just before half-time, Sharvin led a charge at the Comber goal hoping for an equaliser, but his shot was blocked.
Then he took a free kick just outside the Comber box when Dougan was fouled. Sharvin struck the ball well but it didn’t dip enough and just went over the bar.
Eventually on the whistle for half-time, Dougan produced the goods when he received the ball facing the goal and tapped it in to equalise.
In the second half Drumaness manager Mark Kerr decided to beef up the pressure on Comber putting on Joe Healy and Stephan Mason for McCleery and Kearney.
So Drumaness had had a few chances in the first half but didn’t capitalise on them. Now they had fresh legs and needed a goal to win.
The second period had become a lot more physical as both teams struggled for supremacy.
At 58 minutes Comber substituted Brett McConville for Elliott Wilson, then at 80 minutes put on Keenan for Dummigan and shortly after put on Fisher for Nelson.
Dummigan had picked up a yellow card earlier and as the tackling grew heavier, Comber feared losing a player.
The game trundled on and the weather conditions were made more miserable as the light started to fade.
And just when it looked on four minutes into extra time in the second half that the teams would share the points, Comber’s Brett McConville seized a golden opportunity and surprised all and asunder with a snap goal catching the home team unawares.
It may have been a painful defeat for Drumaness Mills, but their minds are elsewhere just now. They play in the Bprder Cup Final in Seaview in Belfast on Boxing Day against Crumlin Star and that will definitely be a match to see.
Drumaness Mills: Conor McCann, Keegan Dumigan, Eoin Lundy, Tommy McConville, Gary Murdock (C), Oisin Savage, Eoin Rooney, Kyle McCleery, Calum Dougan, Jack Sharvin, Adam Kearney, Subs: Ben Campbell, Joe Healy, Stephan Mason.
Comber Rec: Corey Pollock, Stephen Flack, Lex Walker, Reece Whittle, Brad Porter (C), Dylan Wilson, Braden Nelson, Elliott Wilson. Matthew Tomlinson, Andrew Dummigan. Subs: Gareth Keenan, Brett McConville, Luke Fisher.
