Drumaness Mills buckled down to face tough opponents Comber Rec in a Premier League match
Two of the top teams in the NAFL Premier League clashed today at Meadowvale in Drumaness both eyeing up the points, but it was the homeside Drumaness Mills who came out on top of this soccer drama.
Both teams gave their all from the first whistle. There was a short spell at the start of the match when they sized each other up, but they quickly got to the task of attacking. Comber made the first real charge with Lex Walker throwing a long ball which ran past the Drumaness goal mouth letting Drumaness of the hook.
But Drumaness cranked up their attacks and in one strong attack Jack Sharvin passed to Declan Looney who knocked the ball in to the Comber net in the 4th minute.
Drumaness pressed again and a few minute slater he almost squeezed the ball in past Comber keeper Corey Pollock.
Drumaness had Calum Dougan and Jack Sharvin challenging up front with Adam Kearney nipping in on the wing. It worked quite will but there seemed to be man marking going on which eventually led to an increase in the amount of free kicks given. (Photos by Jim Masson/DownNews).
Comber captain Stuart Hanna was having a good game and his free kicks were well taken. On one occasion he was running towards the Drumaness box and was tripped by Drumaness captain Gary Murdock. The free kick hit the defenders’ wall and bounced back.
CHECK OUT THE 42 action photos from the match by Jim Masson/DownNews©
At this point Jack Sharvin tried to clear the ball but gave away a free kick just yards outside the box. Stuart Hanna stepped up and hit a peach over the wall to the top corner of the net to equalise on 1-1 in 12 minutes.
Then Comber went up a gear and Dylan Donaldson crossed to the front of goal and Kris Gaw played a dummy with the ball running to Elliot Wilson but keeper Aaron Carberry was quick to seize the ball ending their golden opportunity to score again.
Again Drumaness gave away a free kick outside their box a Comber pressed and Stuart Hanna took the klick but just missed the top bar in the Drumaness goals.
Brandon Nelson was also figuring in a number of attacks on the Drumaness goal.
On a break Calum Dougan almost scored when he went one-to-one with keeper Corey Pollock but the Comber keeper was quick and put it out for a corner. For the first half Dylan Donaldson was well marked but gradually forced himself into the game.
But Drumaness clawed their way back and launched a quick attack and Jack Sharvin was pressing forward and in a crammed goalmouth Sharvin got the ball at his feet for a split second and knocked it over the line to put the home side back in the lead again on 20 minutes.
Then Adam Kearney made a strong run up the left but was blocked by Kristopher Gaw.
Both teams were increasing on attacks. Dylan Donaldson made a great pass to Lex Walker who fed the ball back to Donaldson who had two efforts trying to get the ball past Aaron Carberry who was on form and grab his header.
At 30 minutes Comber seemed to have the attacking edge but this was a physically hard game and no prisoners were taken.
Comber’s Ciaran Gillan was yellow carded when he up-ended Drumaness captain Gary Murdock and a short time later received a second yellow and a red card. Then in a spell around 40 minutes in the first half, Daniel Bell received a red card for a heavy tackle as tempers and frustration built up in both teams.
CHECK OUT THE 42 action photos from the match by Jim Masson/DownNews©
Simon Hanna had a good spell until the break when he surged forward passing to Donaldson and Wilson at the Drumaness goalmouth but defender Conor McGourty was on the ball to deny them an equaliser.
Hanna then took a free kick from 30 yards but hit over the Drumaness top bar.
As the second half commenced, both teams were canny, but that did not last long. Dylan Wilson made a great cross to Hanna at the Drumaness goal but the ball just moved behind him a fraction making the shot difficult.
For 6 minutes into the first half Carberry was untested as the defenders kept the marauding Comber players at bay.
Comber won a free kick on the right and keeper Carberry punched the ball clear as Lex Walker always a clear and present danger soared up into the air for a header.
Comber forward Brandon Nelson hit a solid volley on target but it hit a defender and Brett Conville who came on as a sub was blown just offsides.
CHECK OUT THE 42 action photos from the match by Jim Masson/DownNews
As tempers flared, Gareth McKeown, the Comber team manager was red carded on 67 minutes
As play resumed, Jack Sharvin hit a powerful shot on target to the top of the Comber goal but Corey Pollock made a tremendous save holding the ball solidly.
Then Drumaness had another opportunity when Murdock headed down to Brannigan in front of the Comber goal but was blocked.
The dam burst as Dylan Donaldson quickly ran through the Drumaness defence and hammered the ball into the net putting the score level 2-2, drawing again in 73 minutes.
Sensing Drumaness were weakening, the visitors pressed hard again and Donaldson was looking for the killer goal.
But as the match stopped and started with free kicks, it was Drumaness who stepped up to the plate and won a corner on the right. The kick was spot perfect to the back post and Murdock headed the ball in giving keeper Pollock no chance in the 80th minute.
The game got even more tense in the closing stages and in a tackle, Drumaness sub Jamie Morgan who almost scored with his first kick in the game received an accidental elbow to the side of the head and play stopped for a considerable spell as he lay on the pitch for treatment.
As this bruising encounter unfolded, the match resumed and Comber midfielder Stephen Fleck sent a pass to Lex Walker who almost touched the ball for a goal.
As the game progressed to its final throes, Drumaness held on but Comber were pressing hard with Lex Walker in turbo-drive and efforts by Dylan Willson, Dylan Donaldson and Lex Walker could on a better day have seen a late goal to salvage a point from the match.
These two teams are serious rivals in the Premier League.
The two teams certainly went hell for leather and this was a tough match for referee Philip Bogle to manage. Drumness Mills received 9 yellow cards (a double leading to a red card) and Comber Rec were less naughty with only 7 yellows (with a red card).
Drumaness have now crept up to 4th place in the NAFL Premier League table and are on 30 points having played 16 games whilst Comber are poisitioned 6th on 27 points but have only played 14 matches. Derriaghy CC lead the table on 37 points on 16 games having overtaken East belfast on 35 points oin 19 games.
It will be a tough shout for Drumaness to actually win the League title, but given their fighting performance today, I’d say that the other top teams will need to be at their best to give Drumaness a run for their money. It would be a huge accolade for the club after winning the Border Cup.
But Comber Rec too have had a good season and they could create a few surprises yet. They have a big squad and a good management team so they will not be far away at the top of the league table either.
Drumaness Mills: 1Aaron Carberry 2 2 Keegan Domican 3 Sean Og kelly 4 Conor McGourty 5 Gary Murdock (C) 6 peter Brannigan 7 Declan Looney 8 Daniel Bell 9 Callum Dougan 10 jack Sharvin 11 Adam Kearney. Subs: 12 jamie Sharvin 14 Jamie Morgan 15 Aaron Mooney.
Comber Rec: 1 Corey Pollock 2 Ciaran Gillan 3 Lex Walker 4 Stuart Moore 5 Stephen Fleck 6 Christina Irvine 7 Dylan Donaldson 8 Simon Hanna (C) 9 Brandon Nelson 10 Kristopher Gaw 11 Elliot Wilson. Subs: 12 Dylan Thompson 14 Sam Moore 15 Brett Conville.
CHECK OUT THE 42 action photos from the match by Jim Masson/DownNews
