Comber Rec are into the quarter finals of the Border Cup after beating Shankhill Utd
The NAFL,
Border Cup Round 3,
Venue: Park Lane, Comber: 5 10 24
Final Score: Comber Rec 2 1 Shankhill Utd.
Last week in a league match Comber beat Shankhill 1-2 and in this Border Cup clash the Rec once again prevailed despite the best efforts of a determined side that fought to the last writes Jim Masson.
With a strong cross wind blowing in the early first half, play was difficult and both teams struggled with the conditions, but it was the home side Comber who were in attacking mode early on who brought the game to the visitors.
Comber were relentless. They harried, chased balls, pressed forward and defended when they had to stoically.
An early charge by Comber saw Stephen Fleck just go wide of the left hand post in a low volley from outside the box.
Then Comber’s Matthew Gibson was the next to hit wide followed by a great cross from Jordan Kane into the Shankhill goal area with Lex Walker and Stuart Moore soaring up high but just missing the touch by a whisker.
There were a number of attacks by Comber who were the dominant force, and one good effort from a free kick a few yards outside the Shankhill box went wide. Comber were certainly the better team as Shankhill only managed a couple of charges at the home goal area in the early stages.
Then a long ball down the middle over the Shankhill back line hit the crossbar and Lex Walker got possession and fought of two defenders slotting in to open the scoring for Comber in the 20th minute.
Comber were intent on pressing home their advantage and continued the pressure on Shankhill as Matthew Tumilson took a header but it just went wide. Comber were in control and had stepped up the pace.
At this point Comber seemed to get in a rut of failed attacks such as when Gibson passed back to McConville in the Shankhill box which on a good day would have seen a straight forward goal, but the wind conditions were unsettling.
Elliot Wilson was making a few good breaks at Shankhill but met a couple of heavy tackles that later caused him to head for the bench.
Apart from an occasional break, the game was mostly one-sided. Brett McConville was having a good game despite his near misses and the team were generally working well.
Comber were 5 of their key players out for this match due to suspensions and injuries but they may all return to form just as the club nears the key stages of the cup competitions.
As the second half commenced, Shankhill came out with more fighting spirit and took on Comber. Kyle Wilgaus hit a solid shot on target but keeper Corey Pollock made an equally sound save.
As tensions mounted in the game, there was a bit of a ‘conflagaration’, but the referee managed to get it well under control and the match continued. Reece Whittle came off at this point and on came Brendan Nelson who was immediately involved in a number of attacks to the Shankill goal.
On 58 minutes Elliot Wilson almost managed to knock in a close-range goal, but he did not get the rub of the green.
Although Shankhill were outclassed and still smarting from their defeat the previous week, they did have a good spell in the second half when they were worrying the Comber goal.
At one stage the frustration got to Comber and Jordan O’Kane was yellow carded for holding a jumper of an opponent.
Then Comber manager Gareth McKeown made a tactical move and took scorer Walker off replacing his with Kris Gaw who immedialely started shooting volleys at the Shankhill goal almost scoring on at least 2 occasions.
Then Elliot Wilson was replaced by Harry Grierson who within minutes made a peach of a cross to Gaw who stopped the ball well in the box and hit low under pressure but was inches wide of the back post.
It was frustrating for Comber not to get another goal at this stage but Nelson did make a huge difference to the chances opening for Comber such as a cross to McConville who almost tapped the ball in for a goal.
Then like a bolt out of the blue, Shankhill broke away and a low volley from Kyle Wilgaus saw the visitors equalise on the 78th minute and Shankhill had all to play for.
But Comber stayed focused when Shankhill tried to get on the front foot and steal the game. Sub Nelson again placed the ball in striking range for Matthew Tumilson who unleashed a powerful volley on target but keeper Ben Nicholl was there to make a great save denying him a late goal.
And Kris Gaw was grinding too at the Shankhill back line. But as the game was looking like it was heading to extra time, Matthew Tumilson took a corner for Comber and with 90+3 minutes gone, Harry Grierson neatly side-clipped the ball a couple of yards over the line into the Shankhill goal which under pressure from a host of frantic defenders.
The relief to the Comber team and spectators was palpable.
Comber were the deserving victors but made it hard work on the day, but they may become a real force to reckon with peaking at the right time with the Cup Finals in December if they get through the semis and quarter finals.
But today Willowbank, the Border Cup winners last time round, were beaten by Mossley 1-2. Probably on paper the two biggest challengers to Comber winning the Border Cup would be Drumaness and Deriaghy CC, the latter playing quite well at the moment.
Comber will gradually get their first team players back in action and their team will get stronger as the campaign continues over the next few weeks.
They have been to Seaview a year ago and tasted defeat in the Border Cup, but that was on the back of a huge win with claiming the Steel and Sons Cup. They now are on this journey again but have a point to make… that they believe they are the best.
Comber Rec: 1 Corey Pollock (GK), 2 Matthew Gibson, 3 Lex Walker, 4 Stuart Moore, 5 Reece Whittle, 6 Christian Irvine, 7 Stephen Fleck 8 Jordan O’Kane, 9 Brett McConville, 10 Matthew Tumilson (C), 11 Elliot Wilson. Subs: 12 Brendan Nelson, 14 Harry Grierson, 15 Kris Gaw.
Shankhill Utd:1 Ben Nicholl (GK) , 2 Mark Marshall, 3 William Armstrong (C) 4 Gary Spence 5 Lucas Galashan 6 David Graham 7 Jake McKeown 8 Luke Briers 9 Kyle Wilgaus 10 Jackson Clarke 11 D Houston, Subs: 12 Jake Cowan, Jay Owens.
