|
Drumaness Mills 4
Wellington Rec 1
DRUMANESS Mills boosted their Premier Section survival bid with a
comfortable basement battle victory over their Larne visitors.
Three goals inside the first 19 minutes from Paul Walsh, Neil Walsh
and Kyle Rogan had the Mills in dreamland.
However, the hosts took their foot off the gas and Wellington
stormed back into contention and reduced the leeway just before the
break with a cracker from Ellis Cahoon.
The second half was a bit of a damp squib, but John Connolly put the
game beyond Wellington when he made it 4-1 in the 83rd minute with a
poacher's strike.
Drumaness went into this crucial clash without their Ardglass
contingent of Chris and Stevie Deegan, Chris Teggart and Mark Feenan
(suspended) who were all attending Marty Ross' funeral, but Donal
Bell is starting to assemble a good squad at Meadowvale and was able
to replace this quartet with some quality players.
The Mills started as if they meant business and Brendan Ward should
have done better after just two minutes when he got on the end of a
free from Neil Gelston, but he headed weakly wide.
Four minutes later a long throw from Gerard Gelston caused mayhem in
the Wellington box, but Gavin McEvoy was unable to take advantage as
he blasted the loose ball wildly over the top of the crossbar.
However, with 10 minutes gone the Mills made a vital breakthrough.
The impressive Aidy Kelly hoisted a Hail Mary of an up and under
towards the Wellington box. The Wellington back four were all over
the place and after they failed to get an offside call, Paul Walsh
bombed into the box and beat Stevie Hanna with a cool finish.
It was 2-0 four minutes later when Neil Walsh, who ran the legs off
the Wellington defence, latched on to a poked pass from Gerard
Gelston and promptly flashed the ball to the back of the net.
The Wellington defence continued to hand out belated Christmas
presents and with 19 minutes gone Kyle Rogan made it 3-0 when he
ghosted in at the near post to head home a Neil Gelston corner.
Wellington came more into it as the Mills sat back a little, but
they weren't hurting a Drumaness defence in which Brendan' the
Enforcer' Ward, Aidy Kelly, Kyle Rogan and Paddy McDonald were
outstanding.
However, they took their eye off the ball just before the break and
allowed Wellington to make it 3-1 when Cahoon whacked a beauty past
Michael Watson from 25 yards out.
The second half was far less exciting and there was little to report
until the 82nd minute when Gary McMaster, who was only on the field
a matter of seconds, split the Wellington defence wide open with a
piercing pass into John Connolly, but the former Downpatrick player
was denied by a brave block from Hanna.
Less than 60 seconds later Philip Rogan released the willing Gary
Murdock down the right flank and he unselfishly squared the ball
into the path of Connolly to make it 4-1 and game, set and match.
Drumaness Mills: M. Watson, P. McDonald, B. Ward, A. Kelly, K.
Rogan, G. Murdock, P. Walsh, N. Gelston, G. Gelston, N. Walsh. P.
Rogan, G. McMaster, J. Connolly.
|
