Comber Rec  2  :  4  Downpatrick 

Noel Spence reports 

The magnitude of the challenge facing new manager John Bailie was laid bare at Park Way on Saturday when Comber Rec failed to live up to pre-match hopes and fell to a 4-2 defeat at the hands of Downpatrick. For a precious few minutes in the second half, when Rec had drawn level from a 2-0 deficit, it looked that they might stage a sensational comeback result, but slack marking and naïve defensive errors gifted the visitors a second two goal advantage that Rec never seemed capable of overturning.

On a pleasant sunny afternoon Comber fielded their strongest side, featuring new signing Dylan Cobb at the back, and they opened strongly, with Michael Henderson offered a half chance as early as the third minute, but his left foot mis-hit effort was easy for keeper Stranney.

Downpatrick replied with a high dropping ball from the right sideline to the back post, but the angle was too acute for Telford whose volley ended in the side netting.

Rec shaded the early exchanges. A lovely Cobb cross was about a foot too high for Kyle McQuillan, and then Mark McLeod was bustled off a fine Gareth Larmour through ball, but on the quarter hour the home defence presented Downpatrick with a golden opportunity to go ahead. Peter Kelly delayed his clearance and lost possession to Telford who went through on goal only to see Jason Mooney produce a great stop with his foot.

Midway through the half a McQuillan drive was deflected for a corner and when the flag kick was poorly cleared Ryan Johnston had a clear shooting chance in the area but swung at the ball and missed completely.

Gradually both defences got on top and play was confined to midfield action, with no scoring chances at either end until ten minutes from the break when Rec squandered a sitter. McLeod worked his way along the left byeline and sent over a ground ball to McQuillan at the back post, but from a couple of yards he stabbed it past the post with his left foot when a mere touch with his right would have put the ball into the net.

Misses like this are often punished, and such was the case here, because inside a minute Downpatrick went ahead at the other end. Telford hopefully hooked the ball into the middle, and when the bounce beat the defence the lethal Galbraith rifled it past the Rec keeper from 10 yards.

The value of a dedicated finisher was further revealed a few minutes from the interval when McQuillan had the goal at his mercy from very close range but shot straight at Stranney who was able to pull off a point blank save. Rec went in a goal in arrears from a half which they had won on points, but the old problem of finding the net denied them any advantage.

Rec came out aggressively after the break and following a corner from the left McLeod was unlucky to see his blocked shot spin into Stranney’s arms.

With only five minutes played Rec showed total defensive negligence and paid the price. Downpatrick won a free kick on the left, but their most dangerous player, Galbraith, was left completely unmarked at the back post and when McQuoid’s well placed  kick reached him he simply prodded it home inside the upright for the easiest of goals.

To their credit, Rec kept their heads up and four minutes later they were back in it. Mooney’s long kick out bounced perfectly in the area for McQuillan to pivot and hammer a superb left foot shot past Stranney.

Better was to follow a minute later. Keith Dougherty was flattened just inside the area and referee Andrew Davey, who had an excellent game, pointed immediately to the spot. Dougherty himself took the penalty and for the second game in succession showed the art of spot kick taking with a perfectly placed ball low inside the right post.

Suddenly Downpatrick looked shaken, and Rec enjoyed a spell of pressure with two McQuillan corners causing real anxiety in the visitors’ goalmouth, but, sadly for home hopes, a further defensive lapse punctured the revival. Trueman was allowed to run unchallenged down the right side, with two defenders at hand who could have closed him down, and when the ball was cut across Connolly smashed it past the helpless Jason Mooney to restore the Downpatrick lead.

Rec had two further chances to get back on terms. In the 72nd minute Henderson turned beautifully inside his marker but unfortunately on to his weaker left foot and the strike flew a couple of yards wide.

Then ten minutes from time sub Chris Ritchie, with his first touch of the ball, had a glorious chance from a Henderson squared pass from the left, but he blazed his attempt miles high.

With five minutes left to play Rec were given a lesson in shooting with power and accuracy when sub Casey picked up a loose ball 25 yards out and hammered a cracking shot into the Comber net to compound the misery for the home fans.

Manager Bailie can perhaps take some comfort from the fact that this was probably the defence’s worst performance of the season, and he can expect better things from them on a normal display. On a day that Rec score two goals, they would usually expect something from the game.

More worrying is the failure to put away chances that any other team would gratefully accept, with the standard of the Rec shooting in particular well below par. Also below quality is the simple matter of throw-ins, with 8o% of the Rec throws on Saturday going straight to an opposition player.  Another unsatisfactory element is the increasing tendency for a player to make a mistake and then proceed to shout criticism and blame at a team-mate instead of acknowledging his own error.

Everyone at Comber Rec welcomes the new manager, offers him full support, and wishes him the success that the loyal fans crave, but new blood needs to be introduced if Rec are going to fulfil their supporters’ hopes.