30 Nov Match Reports – 05/11/22
CYFC u15’s 4-3 Larne
Last Friday evening the 2008’s made the trip to Allen Park in Antrim to face Larne in a NIBFA league fixture.
When these two teams faced off several weeks ago, Cookstown were easily put to the sword in a one sided affair as the young sizzlers struggled with both injury and player availability in the early part of the season which had greatly affected both confidence and results.
With a gradual return of these players and a fantastic confidence boosting win over Section A side Ballymena in the NIBFA Cup, manager Nigel Donnelly expected a much more competitive game this time around.
And so it was with Cookstown flying into a deserved two goal lead within 20 minutes through a Caleb Talbot left footed strike after great work from James Mulgrew, and then a fine finish from Brendan Mulgrew from 15 yards. Both goal scorers had good chances to double their accounts but the game remained 2-0 at the interval after a dominating opening 35 minutes from the young Whites.
Goals change games as they say with Larne back in it after a fine finish from the edge of the box after 45 minutes. With that impetus Larne snatched the equaliser after forcing an error through their press on 50 minutes. Cookstown nearly went ahead 5 minutes later when a scooped shot from Joshua Burton rattled the Larne crossbar.
Talbot had another great chance snaffled out before Larne’s pressure told delivering what looked like a winner with 3 minutes remaining.
But substitute Jack Price pounced on a loose ball in the box from a corner to equalise with seconds left in normal time. Then in dramatic fashion, up popped Isaac Kelso to thunder home a header from a Jake Donnelly corner in injury time to the amazement and joy of coaches, players and supporters alike.
To paraphrase Sir Alex after dramatically defeating Bayern Munich – ‘I can’t believe it. Football, bloody hell!’
TEAM: B. Patterson, G. Russo, H. McKenzie, J. Burton, E. Irwin, C. McCrory, J. Donnelly, I. Kelso, B. Mulgrew, J. Mulgrew, C. Talbot, A. McElhatton, J. Price, J. Patterson.