Seconds earn their first point at Bloomfield

They could have had all three but for a goal disallowed late on when the referee awarded a goal and then changed his mind.

The previous week saw them go down three goals to one to a very strong Islandmagee side .

With a large exodus of players for various reasons from last year’s league winning side there is now a great emphasis on the youth to bring them through.

On Saturday with again a host of players missing through work commitments, weddings and injuries it was a very young side which took to the field of play.

There were seven players aged between 16-20 with only Phil Neil and Campbell Mitchell remaining from last year’s side.

The home team were a big side but Dromara gave as good as they got in the opening exchnages and new signing Neil Collins was dangerous with several well flighted free kicks into the box.

Young Ross Bingham in goals was dealing comfortably with any crosses into his area and it was a dogged first half which saw the visitors struggle to get their passing going.

The home side took an unexpected lead with really their first effort on target on the half hour mark when a goalkick was misjudged by the defence the ball bounced and their forward volleyed it into the bottom corner from 20 yards.

The referee then misjudged his timing when he played nearly 53 minutes in the half which bemused both teams’ management.

The second half saw a much better performance by Dromara and young Black on his debut was causing problems with his pace aided by Collins and Mcveigh with Mitchell holding firm in the centre of the park.

Also young Clements on the left also making his first start had one mazy run with a shot which produced a good save from the keeper.

The keeper made several other good stops before he was finally beaten by a corker of a free kick by Collins.

Thirty yards out he hit a shot which flew past the keeper into the top corner.This was much deserved and they built on this for the closing stages which saw the goal awarded when Mitchell went up for a header the keeper tried to punch the ball clear but it dropped inside the box for Mcveigh to prod home, but after pointing to the centre circle with appeals from the home side he strangely changed his mind.

At the back in the closing stages McCormack, Neil and Rowan were all on top of their game dealing superbly with anything that came at them.

They travel away to the Limavady area next in the Junior Cup and hopefully they can start getting a few players back in to build on this result as the season progresses.

- Dromara Firsts progressed to the next round of the Steels and Sons Cup with a two goals to one win over Comber Rec.

The Dromara side played the best 45 minutes of their season so far in the first half with some great attacking football and manager Phil McDonagh was wondering how his side only went in two goals to the good it could have been five or six.

McNamee and Rooney were on target but McDonald, Rooney on two occasions, O’Connor and Graham McDonagh all had chances to score.

With the chances not taken the home side did not rise to the levels of the first half in the second period and Comber got back into it with 20 minutes to go but the home defence were able to hold out for the closing period.