NAFL Premier Division.
Saturday 20th August.
Lisburn Rangers 4 Downpatrick FC 4.
Downpatrick travelled to play newly promoted Lisburn Rangers in what proved to be a highly entertaining game. Downpatrick started the game poorly and went behind after eight minutes, Lisburn broke down the right wing and the Lisburn right winger pulled the back into the middle of the box and their strikers first time shot evaded Michael McKenna in the Downpatrick net.
Downpatrick were only behind for two minutes, Aaron McGarry surged down the left wing and sent an inviting ball into the box. Barry Treacy who came in off the right wing hit a left footed shot which deflected off Andrew Baggley and into the net.
But Lisburn went back in front five minutes later. Downpatrick failed to close the ball down on the edge of the box and Lisburn shot was deflected out for a corner. From the resultant corner McKenna felt he was impeded from getting to the ball and the Lisburn striker tapped the ball into the net to put his side back in front.
Then before half-time Downpatrick fell further behind, a long searching ball was whipped in from deep and the Downpatrick defence marshalled by Matthew Carson cleared the ball and pushed up. Lisburn regained possession immediately and the through ball to the Lisburn striker who appeared to be four or five yards allowed him to take the ball into the box and score past McKenna much to the frustration of the Downpatrick players.
Half Time: Lisburn Rangers 3 v Downpatrick FC 1
Downpatrick’s management of McMahon and Trueman read the riot act at half time, introduced Mark Holland and changed the system and within five minutes got back into the game. Baggley won the ball in midfield and with his first time pass out to Treacy, he controlled the ball and sent over an inch perfect cross. Holland timed his run and volleyed the ball into the top corner to give Downpatrick a lifeline.
With their backs up now, Downpatrick put the Lisburn defence under a lot of pressure, Holland and McGarry both saw headers saved and Conor McCarron had an opportunity which wasn’t converted. Downpatrick then suffered a hammer blow on the seventy minute mark when Lisburn were awarded a penalty against the run of play. The Lisburn striker saw his spot kick nearly saved by Downpatrick’s Michael McKenna.
Five minutes later Mark Holland scored his second of the game. Downpatrick saw a shot from Stephen Galbraith comfortably saved by the Lisburn keeper. With all the players turning and running out, only Holland was alert to any danger, and the keeper miss-kicked the ball. The Downpatrick player controlled the ball on his chest before volleying it into the back of the net.
Downpatrick had the chance to equalise, when Neil Taggart whipped in a free kick which found its way to Galbraith, but the Downpatrick striker was unable to divert it past the home side’s keeper. Two minutes later Downpatrick got the all- important equaliser, and Taggart made a surging run and beat two players before spotting Terence Bell who made a perfectly timed run and had the composure to score first time. Conor McCarron had the chance to be a hero when he cut in along the 18 yard box, but his effort was saved.
Downpatrick: 1) M McKenna 2) S Douglas 3) B Connolly 4) M Carson 5) N Taggart 6) A Baggley 7) B Treacy 8) A McCoubrey 9) S Galbraith 10) C McCarron 11) A McGarry 12) M Holland 14) T Bell 15) C Holland.
