Cookstown U18s undone by late Dromore goals

Cookstwon Youth U18s lost their last league match of the season after leading for most of the game but a late goal from the home team cost them dearly.
Action from  Cookstown Youth FC Under 18's game with Dromore at the weekendAction from  Cookstown Youth FC Under 18's game with Dromore at the weekend
Action from Cookstown Youth FC Under 18's game with Dromore at the weekend

Cookstown got off to a great start and took the match to the home team and on three minutes Wilson beat his marker and hit a shot from 16 yards.

The keeper saved well but could not hold on and Paul Stewart was the first to react and score from 6 yards but to the amazement of both sets of players the referee ruled it out for offside.

A few minutes later great play from Jerome Harte and Aiden Doyle opened up the home defence again but Doyle’s shot was just wide.

Cookstown took the lead on 8 minutes with again a good flowing move with James Kilpatrick and Wilson linked well and again Wilson shot was again pushed out by the keeper and this time Doyle scored from 6 yards out and this time the goal was allowed.

Cookstown were playing well at this point with the new look midfield four of Stewart, Harte, O’Hare and Kilpatrick controlling the play and on 20 minutes Stewart broke clear on the right and his cross found Wilson who shot just wide.

Chris Reynolds was called into action on the half hour mark when a poor back pass was cut out and the big keeper made a great save to keep his side in front.

On Cookstown’s next attack Doyle and Wilson linked again but once more fielded to make the keeper work with a shot wide.

The home side should have levelled matter on 43 minutes when McMath let his player get in behind him but he somehow missed the target from five yards out.

The home team started the better of the second half and Reynolds pulled of a great save on 50 minutes.

The back four of Keane, Bell, McMath and McElhone were now have to work hard and they were well up to the task with Bell at the heart of the defence in outstanding form.

The home team on 68 minutes had a quick break away from a Cookstown Corner but once more Reynolds made a great save.

A few minutes later Stewart picked the ball up and beat two players inside the box and decided to take another touch that was poor and run the ball out of play when a sample pass to the unmarked Wilson square of him in the box was the better option.

From the next attack Stewart again beat two players in the box and this time shot over the bar but once more the unmarked Doyle this time on the six yard line was the better option.

On 80 minutes a great ball from Adam Keane at right back picked out Harte and he finished into the net but once more the ref disallowed the goal as another player was in an offside position.

This was a very disappointing decision considering the player that was in the offside position was not near the play.

Dromore broke clear on 85 minutes and when Bell when to clear his lines 30 yards out a forward clearly fouled the defender but the ref waved play on and Reynolds pushed the shot wide for a corner.

From the resulting corner Reynolds made a good save and was then fouled by the forward but again the ref played on and with Reynolds down injured the shot back into the box hit the big keeper and ended up in the net.

Then on 90 minutes another poor call from the ref awarded the home team a free kick 30 yards out and from this the home team scored the winner.

Manager Niall Hunter commented after the game: “I would have to say that is the worst refereeing I have seen all season, the home team coaches were embarrassed when I went to shake their hands after the match.

“The ref done us out of two clear good goals early on and my lads defended really well with Chris in nets playing really good and I could not see dromore scoring but the calls the ref made in the last five minutes were awful.”

Team: Reynolds, Johnston, Bell, McMath, McElhone, Harte, O’Hare, Kilpatrick, Stewart, Wilson, Doyle, Arrell, Keane, McMullan, Johnston

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