Fighting Rec Fall at Foundry

Comber Rec’s opening to the new season has been plagued by player unavailability, with injuries, suspensions and domestic arrangements combining to ensure that they have yet to field a full-strength team. That situation continued at Paisley Park on Saturday when a Comber side missing captain Jim McCloskey and striker Gordon Leckey went down 2-0 to the current League champions, Albert Foundry. The problem was further compounded by an injury to top signing Ian Maitland that saw him carried off at the start of the game, and then in the second half by the red-carding of vital central defender Peter Kelly, which will lead to a two or three match ban. Both these incidents leave Rec seriously depleted at the back, and with the attack having scored only one goal in 3 matches, some Rec fans are already looking grim faced.
To their credit, Rec gave total effort against a Foundry team that probably expected an easier ride. On a pitch soft on top from a day’s continuous rain, but surprisingly firm underfoot, the visitors showed no signs of hangover from their midweek defeat, and as early as the fourth minute threatened with a sweet Keith Dougherty drive from the edge of the area that was wide by only a yard.
Misfortune struck in the 6th minute when, deep in the Foundry half, Maitland went down in a challenge and was carried from the pitch. Maitland has been Rec’s star acquisition, and the hope has to be that his injury is not a serious one.
Connor Couston scooped up a dangerous Doyle back header in the 10th minute, but the opening period of the game was quiet, with neither side assuming the initiative. On the quarter hour Craig McCracken turned smartly on a Kevin Monson nod down and cracked a fine effort into the side netting, while at the other end 2 minutes later Doyle’s free kick was cleanly taken by Couston.
The best moment of the half arrived just before the half hour when McCracken, battling well up front on the left side, shuffled past his marker and fired in a great strike that home keeper Mateer was happy to parry to safety.
For a spell Rec were on top, going forward with assurance, but lacking real penetration and firepower in the final third. Tim Ritchie brought a save from Mateer with a left foot grounder, but in the final minutes of the half Foundry suddenly came to life in attack. Young screwed a left foot shot a foot wide, McGrath’s free kick was well blocked by the Rec wall, and almost on the whistle West was clean through but shot weakly and Couston made the save fairly comfortably.
Rec had just about shaded the first half action, and were apparently awarded a boost 3 minutes into the second period when McGrath was sent off for elbowing a Rec player in the face. Full marks to referee Ross Dunlop for making the big decision and refusing to be deterred by the continuous barrage of criticism, complaint and claim from the Foundry technical area.
Ironically the sending off seemed to galvanise Foundry and they forced a series of corners from both sides. Chisholm should have put them ahead in the 52nd minute but glanced his header wide from a wicked free kick into the box.
The save of the match followed a couple of minutes later when Young was right through but Couston brilliantly turned his fierce shot over the bar.
Monson was on target at the home end but Mateer pounced to make a neat stop, and then exactly on the hour came that Kelly sending off and a spot kick award to Foundry. Again the referee got it exactly right, and the Rec player can have no complaints. Doyle took the penalty and shot wide, but the departure of Kelly critically weakened Rec’s defence, whereas Foundry seemed steeled by the loss of their offender.
Midway through the half the home side finally went ahead, with a ball from the right coming off the back post and West hammering the rebound home from close range.
Rec refused to lie down and good work on the left by substitute Massey presented Duncan with a great opening, but he snatched at the ball and put it well over from a few yards. Massey then drilled in a shot that Mateer turned round the post, but the Rec fightback was killed off 5 minutes from time. Without Kelly’s command in the air, a free kick from the left found Chisholm totally unmarked and he powered his header into the net from a few yards, giving Couston no chance.
Marty Robinson could have pulled one back from a Chris Nicholl centre but headed well over the top, and the match ended with Mateer coming out sharply to grab a through ball off McCracken’s toe.
Rec deserve much credit for a fighting display. The return of Gareth Larmour has filled the gap on the left caused by the defection of Neil Moore. Chris Nicholl again showed brightly, but the memories of this game will be the worrying injury to Maitland, the Kelly sending off, and the failure of Rec to find the net. The key questions are exactly when Comber Rec are going to be able to put out their full-strength team, and how much damage will occur in the interim period.

Fixtures
Comber Rec are away to Barn United on Saturday in the first round of the Steel and Sons Cup. Next Tuesday, August 28, Rec travel to The Oval to meet Glentoran in a County Antrim Shield tie.