Weakened Rec No Match for Nortel

The player unavailability epidemic that has blighted Comber Rec’s start to the new season struck again with a vengeance at Park way on Saturday where a seriously understrength Comber side went down 2-0 to a very ordinary Nortel outfit. Out through injury were Neil Magowan, Kevin Monson and Gordon Leckey, while missing for other reasons were Craig McCracken and Gareth Larmour. With five first choice players out of the frame, Rec were forced to field a team that gave all it had, but one that never threatened to upset the opposition. In the circumstances Rec did fairly well to restrict the visitors to a two goal victory, although they were assisted in this by a late Nortel penalty miss.
Nortel kicked off in lovely conditions, but it was Rec’s Jim McCloskey, playing up front, who first caught the eye with a great run and piece of skill that won a corner. The flag kick was wasted, however, and this was the first of several set pieces, especially free kicks, that were poorly delivered.
Nortel set their stall out early, breaking quickly out of defence and playing long passes down both flanks for their pacy attackers.
A free kick in the 8th minute from the right sideline into the box produced their first clear opening, but Vonmeding put his free header well over the top.
Rec fell behind in the 10th minute through a piece of pure bad luck. A speculative Douglas shot was well covered by Connor Couston but it took a cruel deflection off Chris Nicholl’s foot and the keeper was wrongfooted as the ball spun high into the other corner of the net.
The goal sparked a rather lifeless Nortel into action, and they began to shoot on sight, with Couston down to scramble away a Vonmeding 20 yarder, but Rec’s best effort of the match arrived just before the quarter hour. A poorly headed clearance sat up perfectly for young Massey and his first time left foot half volley was inches outside Maloney’s right hand post.
The livewire Finn was a handful for the home defence, and he almost got to a 50/50 ball against Couston, who needed help to get it clear
Rec continued to squander set piece chances from good positions, notably a free kick well won on the left bye line by Massey and completely wasted in the execution.
Midway through the half the visitors should have doubled their lead when Finn latched on to a lovely though ball down the middle, but with only Couston to beat he drilled the ball a yard wide.
McCloskey was working flat out to get his team moving, but they lacked the height and strength to make any impact, and too often were caught in possession through wanting one touch too many.
Massey showed well again towards the end of the half with a sweet low centre to the near post, but Maloney spread himself well to smother the ball.
On the other flank Oliver was twice deliberately held back by Nortel’s Beattie, but the referee waved play on.
The threat of a goal was always at the home end. In the 40th minute Couston again was called on to come out sharply in a race for a though ball, this time just denying Vonmeding.
A fairly poor first half ended with Nortel carrying any danger there was, their keeper not having to make a save in the forty five minutes.

Rec threw away another good free kick opportunity at the start of the second period, but with 52 minutes gone they managed their first shot on target, a McCloskey long range left foot grounder that was comfortably taken by Maloney.
On the hour mark Ryan Johnston blocked in the box a fierce Vonmeding drive that was goalbound , but a couple of minutes later Nortel added a second goal, and last week’s matchwinner, Keith Dougherty, will take responsibility for it. The Rec midfielder unnecessarily tried to beat a man in the centre circle and gave away possession. A quick ball split the Rec defence and Finn was on it in a flash to give Couston no chance from 15 yards.
Rec had a reasonable penalty claim when a Nortel defender handled in the area following a corner on the left, but the appeals were overlooked by the referee.
Peter Kelly moved up into attack to try to add some height and bite to the Rec attack, but again the threat on goal was at the other end where sub Phil Rooney got in the way of a Conlin drive, and McCord shot past after a tricky run into the Comber area. It was McCord again who looked likely with a screamer that Couston saved on his goal line with his knees, but the winger had his best chance 5 minutes from the end from the penalty spot. Couston came out for a high bouncing ball, took his eyes off it, and fisted Vonmeding instead. McCord fired wide from the spot, and the game finished with a deserved 2-0 win for the Monkstown men.
Perhaps little should be drawn from a match in which Rec were so sorely affected by absentees, but it is a cause for concern nonetheless that Comber Rec have now lost four league games in a row and, more seriously, have scored only one goal in five league outings. In its simplest terms, a team that does not score goals is not going to win any matches. In these circumstances everybody, players, management and supporters, must do all in their power to steady the ship and set it on a winning course.

Fixtures
Comber Rec are at home to Ballyclare Comrades in a Steel and Sons Second Round tie, kick off 2.30.