Under 17s Match Report

Comber Rec V Ballyclare Colts

Comber started the game on Saturday knowing that a win against the bottom of the table team would keep up their fine start to the season. The Comber side was depleted, with three players out with injuries, however this should have served as an opportunity for fringe players to stake a claim for their place. Comber started brightly, moving the ball well in midfield and creating chances, with the front pairing of Laird and Crooks both being presented with opportunities to open the scoring. However, create as they did, the Comber team could not put the ball in the back of the net. The sucker punch came when the Ballyclare centre-forward, burst through the Comber defence to score their only chance of the first half.

Halftime: 0-1

The management team impressed that there was still 40 minutes to get back into the game and that a solid start was required. However, not for the first time this season, they players started in a sloppy fashion. The ball was passed back into defence and instead of just clearing their lines, the comber defence hesitated and allowed the Ballyclare centre-forward to score their (and his) second goal. A body blow for comber, although with 38 minutes remaining, the quality on show should have been able to pull the game back. Comber still pressed however never looked like scoring and the game seemed to be put to bed when the Ballyclare centre-forward rose to complete his hat-trick, finishing from close range at a corner. Ballyclare then took off their centre-forward and it was this moment that Comber seemed to spark into life with Hanna and Beattie coming into the game and Childs getting more joy in midfield. Indeed it was Childs who scored combers first, with a header that looped over the excellent Ballyclare ‘keeper. Comber were back into the game and pilled another one back through Hanna, who deserved his goal for his efforts. Unfortunately time was up after this and Comber were left to reflect on what could have been. Probably best summed up as being “too little too late”!

Hopefully complacency didn’t creep into this talented bunch of players as the season was only 4 games old before this match and the management hopes that this rsult will serve as a wake up call to the players that winning this league will not be an easy task and will need every member of the squad to be fully committed to do their best for the team!

Full time: 2-3

Comber Man of the Match: Lee Brown (who was excellent in defence)