Honours Even in Dour Battle

Football clichés, like most others, have evolved to describe recurrent and recognisable situations. The one that came instantly to mind to apply to Saturday’s game between Downpatrick and Comber Rec was a game of two halfs, because Rec completely dominated the first period and took a one goal lead, while Downpatrick reversed the action in the second and grabbed a deserved equaliser. Over the 90 minutes, therefore, a draw was the right result, although both managers may well feel that their team could have snatched a victory.
Rec were still without the influential Neil Magowan, but, with Marty Robinson returned, fielded the strongest side available, and went on the offensive right from the whistle. A Keith Dougherty centre in the 3rd minute found Craig McCracken and his lay off gave Jim McCloskey a shot at goal, but it flew high and wide.
Comber continued to look lively going forward and had a clear chance to take the lead in the 5th minute when, following a pinball sequence in the home area, the ball fell to McCracken right in front of goal, but from 8 yards he hit it straight at the keeper who parried it to safety.
Rec continued to carry the game to a Downpatrick side that just could not get out of defence, and in the 7th minute they were denied the opening goal. A Chris Nicholl throw in was met by Gordon Leckey who headed the ball down perfectly on target, but although it crossed the goal line by a couple of feet, keeper Stranney scraped it back into play and the referee, not close enough to have seen the score, waved play on.
Downpatrick’s first attack came in the 10th minute when McStravick picked up a loose ball on the left of the Rec area and drove in a shot that Connor Couston did well to deflect over the bar with his legs.
The best action of the match arrived on the quarter hour. McCracken’s lovely run took him past two defenders and his square ball to McCloskey was struck perfectly on goal, but Stranney made a tremendous save, throwing himself to the left to turn the ball round the post.
While Rec were playing aggressive attacking football, Downpatrick seemed to be relying on set pieces, and were offering little in the way of creative movement.
Midway through the half Rec deservedly went ahead. A perfectly delivered Tim Ritchie corner from the right was met by Leckey and his unstoppable header from 5 yards was the reward the visitors had earned.
Straight from the restart Downpatrick threatened an equaliser, but Rooney put a clear heading chance from a right wing centre over the top.
The woodwork denied Rec minutes later when Gareth Larmour’s beautifully struck free kick came off the crossbar, with Stranney fixed to his line. The keeper was at his best, though, minutes later to get down to a low McCloskey drive as Rec kept the pressure on the home goal.
5 minutes from the interval McStravick fired in a sweet volley that was outside the post by only a yard, and then on the half time whistle Davidson scissor kicked a ball on to the roof of the Rec net, but at the break Comber had enjoyed most of the play and their one goal advantage had not been seriously threatened.
Downpatrick came out after the interval like a different team, and set about reversing the pattern of the game, forcing a corner in the first minute that caused some concern for the Rec defence, but the best two scoring chances in the early part of the half were made by Comber. First of all, Stranney made his only error of the game in fumbling a McCloskey shot on the ground and although he partly recovered the ball, Leckey dug it clear only to see it spin out of his control.
Then in the 50th minute Leckey gathered a pass out on the right at the half way line and went on a great run down the side and into the home area. His shot took a deflection, and Stranney, stretched to full height, just managed to reach it with his fingertips.
Gradually Downpatrick assumed control of the game, using long high balls down the middle and frustrating the Rec midfield. Rec were fortunate when a corner from the right came off the crossbar, and then when Galbraith screwed a great chance wide of the post.
Couston under pressure cleanly held a Douglas free kick just before the half hour, but exactly on the half hour it was an error by the Rec keeper that allowed Downpatrick to draw level. Couston called for a long free kick, which his defenders obediently left for him, but instead of coming to claim the ball, he waited for it to reach him, and McStravick nipped in to steer it past him into the net.
The remainder of the match was fairly even, with no clear chances for either side, although Rec failed to take advantage of a couple of good set piece positions. The final whistle after 4 minutes’ injury time saw no further scoring, and both sides could feel fairly satisfied with a point.
Rec’s first half performance was very impressive, with Jim McCloskey leading by example and a number of good chances created, but the rejuvenated home side kept Comber on the back foot for much of the second period and McCracken and Leckey were obliged to operate too deep to threaten enough up front. Some of the Comber set piece play fell short, with free kicks from good positions either straight to the goalkeeper, or over the crossbar, but all in all this was a battling Rec display and a well earned share of the spoils.