First point of campaign for Kilroot

As Kilroot manager Terry Thomas explained: “One minute into injury-time, Dromore were given a free-kick, when we thought it should have gone to us, for a foul on Steven Playfair. They knocked the ball in, it hit Chris Blayney on the stomach; his hands were above him in the air – but the referee gave a penalty. It wasn’t even close; not one player even appealed for a penalty. It’s heartbreaking, after all those defeats, to come so close to winning.”

In a lively opening, Dromore would have taken a third-minute lead had the unchallenged header not been nodded off the line by Mark Galloway. A minute later, it was Matt Hannigan’s turn to see a header blocked on the line, following a David Kidd corner.

Dromore set the wheels rolling with a back-post opener on six minutes, though Rec came storming back through Johnny McFetridge, from a Kidd free-kick just four minutes later.

The Amateurs inched back in front on 17 minutes, when the Dromore man was afforded too much space in midfield.

Kilroot could have cancelled that one out right on half time, but Kidd’s penalty and follow-up effort were parried by the keeper despite being sent tumbling inside the box.

Rec started the second half as they had finished the first, with another penalty, with Hannigan manhandled inside the box. This time Blayney made no mistake, belting the spot-kick past the keeper.

Kilroot forged ahead for the first time on 88 minutes when Steven Playfair’s cross was chested down and gleefully hammered home by Hannigan.

The search for that elusive first win seemed to be over, until that late twist in injury-time, when Dromore showed no sympathy from the spot.

Kilroot have just one more chance for that first win in their final game of the season at home to Shorts on April 25.

Kilroot Rec: Priestly – Hammond, J Smylie, Blayney – Wilson (Playfair), D Aston, McAuley, Kidd, Galloway – McFetridge, Hannigan. Subs not used: King, J Thompson.