Comrades shell-shocked after dramatic week
Wednesday, 19 November 2008
Ballyclare Comrades 2. Glebe Rangers 2.
Saturday 15th November 2008 - IFA Championship.
AFTER the shock resignation mid-week of manager Jamesy Kirk Comrades snatched a draw against Glebe Rangers with two late goals, in match where the side's recent failings were again evident, despite the euphoria of a late comeback.
Assistant manager Gordon Chambers took charge of the team and was forced into a couple of changes to the side which had performed so poorly in the Steel & Sons Cup against Carrick Rangers. With Gary Bell suspended and Michael Smith missing due to a family bereavement, Kyle Agnew and Andy Long returned to the starting line up, which had a 3-5-3 formation.
The game began in the worst possible fashion for Comrades, as they were carved apart by Glebe for the first goal, only 3 minutes in. Ex-Comrades man Parkhill linked up well with Elder in the box and it was too easy them to cut open the home defence for Elder to strike the ball into the back of the net from 11 yards.
This early set back stung Comrades into action and they proceeded to dominate the rest of the half in terms of possession. However, despite this they found it difficult to penetrate a well set Glebe defence. Too much of Comrades play attacking play was predictable, making it easy for a well organised Glebe side.
Most of the home side's threat in the first period came from corners delivered by Davy Freyne. In the 12th minute he found Ryan Murray who headed over from 10 yards out. Then, on 33 minutes, he swung the ball in from the left for Joe McRoberts, whose glancing header from 9 yards was cleared off the line, low inside the post, by a defender.
On 36 minutes another Freyne corner delivered an even better chance, but Joe McRoberts headed a yard over the bar, when he probably should have hit the target.
McRoberts was again involved on 43 minutes when he laid the ball off for Ricky Higgins to strike a good low shot from 14 yards, which forced a good save, low inside his post from Maddison.
Comrades' fans might have felt their side was rather unlucky to be going in one down on the balance of play in the first half, but they were soon to have more misery heaped on them as Glebe scored a second goal, five minutes into the second half. A long high ball eluded the Comrades defence and Parkhill found himself free on goal and finished confidently with a strike from just inside the box.
Things might have got lot worse for the home side two minutes later when a Marks volley from the edge of the box flew just past the upright.
Comrades began to get on top again in terms of possession, but, as in the first half, they struggled to create chances, being let down too often by poor passing at the vital moment. It wasn't until the 63rd minute that any semblance of a threat on goal materialised, when a good cross from the left by Ryan Murray was headed over the bar from 10 yards by Mark Craig.
The introduction of substitutes livened Comrades attacking play to an extent and they began to create a few half chances. On 71 minutes Simon McGowan saw a shot from the edge of the box go a few feet over the bar. Then, in the 77th minute, a Ryan Murray free-kick into the box broke to Ronnie Burns who did well to get a shot in on the turn from 13 yards, but his effort was straight at keeper Maddison.
At this stage Glebe seemed content to sit back on their lead and look to attack where possible on the break. On 78 minutes such a break almost settled the result, but it ended with Parkhill shooting just wide of the far post from a position on the right side of the box.
As time ebbed away, it looked as if Comrades were heading for another disappointing defeat. However the game changed dramatically in an action packed ending.
Firstly Comrades grabbed a goal back from the penalty spot on 85 minutes; Ricky Higgins converting emphatically after being chopped down in the box, having got on the end of a ball from Andy Simms.
A minute later all hell broke loose as a melee involving everyone but the Glebe keeper broke out near the half way line in front of the main stand. It started when Glebe's Nicholl appeared to strike Stuart McClean after the two had been involved in a challenge. A number of players then became involved and the result was that three players were dismissed; Mark Craig for Comrades and Nicholl and Marks for Glebe.
Comrades were now fired up in search of an equaliser and the previously solid looking Glebe defence looked shaky. On 90 minutes, a ball into the Glebe box caused confusion and broke to Ronnie Burns 10 yards out, but his seemingly goal bound effort was blocked by a defender.
With a good amount of injury-time to be played Comrades still had hope and they piled everything forward in search of the equaliser, with Ryan Murray pushed forward as an additional striker. Two minutes into added time, they got their reward when a long punt up the middle caused confusion in the Glebe rearguard. Ronnie Burns got to it just before the outrushing keeper and knocked it past him first-time into the back of the net from the edge of the box.
Comrades now sensed that they could even win the game in the little remaining time left, but despite pressing they had to be content with a point.
Comrades would have been looking for three points from this game before it began, despite Glebe's recent impressive results. However, to snatch a point in the dramatic circumstances of this match should do something to lift morale. Overall the performance was not good, but to their credit the players never gave up and got some reward for it in the end.
Ballyclare Comrades team: Ian Mannus, Paul Caldwell, Andy Long, Ryan Murray, Kyle Agnew, Simon McGowan, Stuart McClean (capt), Joe McRoberts, Davy Freyne, Ricky Higgins, Mark Craig.
Bench: Ronnie Burns (62 mins, for McRoberts), Andy Simms (69 mins, for Freyne), Lee Lenaghan (80 mins, for Agnew), Andrew Ferguson (not used), Allen Huxley (not used).
