Comber Rec Beat Crumlin Star In A Tight Match At Seaview
At last Comber Rec can add the Border Cup to their collection of silver for this season beating Crumlin Star is a match that for most of it was too close to call writes Jim Masson.
Comber started off on the right foot in attack mode and put Crumlin under early pressure with Dylan Wilson leading the charge. But he was taken down a short time into the game with a head injury, a suspected elbow, but came back on even more determined and even won the Player of the Match award and scoring the only goal.
In Round 1 Comber had a bye, and beat Portavogie 0-6 in Round 2 followed by a strong 4-0 win over Finaghy in the Quarter Final and and impressive win over Derriaghy CC but a goal put them through to the final to face Crumlin Star.
Comber won the League 1A three years ago and have progressed well since then and are looking now o do they double with a win in the Clarence Cup.
(Photos by Jim Masson/Down News. ©)
Manager Gareth McKeown admitted that his side still felt the pain of the 6-1 defeat to Willowbank last year in the Border Cup Final and had a point to make in this match.
Crumlin started without their permanent goalkeeper who was out injured after suffering a concussion in his last match. It was al to play for.
Dylan Wilson started by making strong run at the Crumlin goal but came off temporarily when he received a head injury but returned to be an inspiration to his side. Comber were fielding a strong side but were missing Stuart Moore and Reece Whittle through injury.
Brett Conville was quick into the action and created a header opportunity for Dylan Donaldson then put through a long ball to Donaldson who charged forward onside.
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But eventually Crumlin pressed into the Comber half and David Fearon won a free kick on the edge of the Comber box which led to a corner and a header clearance by Lex Walker.
The game was shaping up to be a hard physical challenge from the onset but was well managed by referee Phil Boggle.
Crumlin had their moments and captain Niall Hawkins took a solid header on target to the Comber goal but keeper Corey Pollock got the ball under control at 20 minutes.
Conville was serving up some great attacks running at the Crumlin back line but the defenders were doing their utmost to keep him at bay.
Crumlin were making a few good attacks but Comber re-geared and put them under pressure again. Donaldson was certainly giving the defenders something to think about with his swerving attacks.
At almost 30 minutes, Comber won a corner and Matthew Tumilson kicked the ball to the head of Matthew Gibson who almost scored but the ball went loose andElliot Wilson hit a shot from the back of the box but it was just over the bar.
THis was followed by a Crumlin attack but it was quickly cleared and a header from Donaldson to Tumilson almost paid off just missing the top right hand corner. And again Comber attacked with a Donaldson volley but it was just wide of the right hand post.
As the first half was unfolding Dylan Wilson was now back on top form and making some very challenging breaks.
On one attack Lex Walker threw the ball to Tumilson who headed down to Kristopher Gaw who almost managed to get a toe to teh ball for a goal but keeper Shane Harrison was out quickly.
Donaldson, Willson and Conville were a handful for the Crumlin back line who were managing to keep the game goal-less so far.
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Just on the whistle for half-time Crumlin broke forward and keeper Pollock managed to hold a high ball well on target to his goal. The referee allowed three minutes for injury time at the end of the first half.
When the game re-started, Gareth McKeown’s players were fired up and on 50 minutes Dylan Wilson hammered the ball from the back of the box in a goal-mouth scramble giving keeper Harrison no chance. The many Comber fans errupted as the Comber efforts had finally paid off.
Overall, both teams received 4 yellow cards apiece, with Crumlin Star’s Domnhall Cosgrove receiving a red (in the 94th minute.)
Crumlin tried to fight back straight away but Comber held their concentration well and did not allow for any quick reprisals by their opponents.
But Comber kept pressing forward and Conville had a good run and his volley was just held by Harrison.
James Doyle came very close to scoring but Pollock was in extra-top form and made an excellent save. Elliot Wilson came on for defender Stephen Fleck in the 77th minute and made some very positive contributions to the Comber attacks.
Dylan Wilson made an great long pass to Donaldson whose shot was an inch wide of the post, and again Comber attacked when sub Elliot Wilson passed to his brother Dylan Wilson who just fired wide. Comber were turning on the heat. They looked like winners.
As Crumlin fought back Matthew Gibson blocked a low volley that could have cost Comber a goal.
With 4 minutes of extra time announced the pressure on Comber was enormous as Crumlin tried their best to equalise in the closing stages to force the match into extra time.
When the final whistle blew the many Comber fans exploded with a tremendous applause in appreciation of a great game of soccer and the huge efforts Comber had made finally securing their Border Cup win.
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Comber manager Gareth McKeown said: “I’m just over the moon. It was a brilliant win. Out squad just came together at the right time and we did it. It was a well deserved win by the lads and I’m so proud of them.
“Last year’s loss to Willowbank is now behind us for good and we will now go on and enjoy the rest of the season in the Premier League and the Clarence Mayes Cup.”
Comber Rec: 1 Corey Pollock (GK) 2 Stephen Fleck 3 Lex Walker 4 Christian Ivine 5 Matthew Gibson 6 Kristopher Gaw 7 Dylan Wilson 8 Simon Hanna (C) 9 Brett Conville 10 Matthew Tumilson 11 Dylan Donaldson. Subs: 12 Elliot Wilson 14 Ciaran Gillian 15 Brandon Nelson.
Crumlin Star: 1 Shane Harrison (GK) 2 Mark Lyons 3 Samuel McBurney 4 Aidan Lillis 5 Matthew Devine 6 Joseph McNeil 7 Nial Hawkins (C) 8 Kevin Trainor 10 Domnhall Cosgrove 11 James Doyle 18 David Fearon. Subs 12 Stephen Smyth 14 Patrick McDiarmid 16 Fionntan Marley.
