Seven Goal Cliffhanger at Park Way

In a rollercoaster league match at Park Way on Saturday Comber Rec took an early lead, went 3-1 behind before the interval, and produced a magnificent second half fightback to take full points with a spirited 4-3 victory. Holywood played exceptionally well and had Comber fans wondering how they can be propping up the league table, but they lost their shape after the interval and the introduction of Gordon Leckey into the Rec attack was more than their defence could handle.
The major talking point for Rec supporters as the teams lined up was the omission of Chris Nicholl, arguably the best player on the park in the Border Cup game of the previous Saturday, and his absence was highlighted by the fact that most of Holywood’s first half threat was down their left side. Almost equally interesting was the appearance in goal of legendary favourite Brian Burgess, back on home soil after an absence of too many years.
In cold bright sunshine Rec immediately took the game to the visitors, and Craig McCracken was just a yard offside from a measured Adam Welsh through pass.
Holywood keeper Tracey took a well struck Marty Robinson free kick with confidence, but in their very first attack the seasiders caused a real fright when it seemed that Small had won a penalty kick from Peter Kelly, but the referee had actually whistled him offside.
With 11 minutes played Rec went ahead with a peach of a goal. Ross Hegan found Jim McCloskey on the left, and when he made ground and cut across a lovely left foot centre, there was McCracken to volley it high into the net from 6 yards.
On the quarter hour Comber produced another fine move. A long Burgess throw out released McCracken on a clever run, and he fed Welsh nicely but the young Rec striker dragged his left foot effort wide of the opposite post.
With Rec well on top there was no indication of what was about to happen. A long clearance out of defence in the 20th minute reached Small at least 10 yards offside, but the referee, hopelessly out of position deep inside the other half, chose to wave play on, and Small gratefully planted the ball past the helpless Burgess. It was an outrageous goal, and one that upset the Rec rearguard and the whole shape of the half.
Suddenly Holywood were on the offensive and giving the home defence a torrid time, with Small causing most of the trouble on the left flank, and the dangerous Butler a real threat in the area. It was Butler who should have put his side ahead midway through the half but he fluffed a sitter right in front of goal after slackness in the Rec midfield.
On the half hour a Keith Dougherty dropping ball from a Robinson lay off landed just over, on the back of the net, but inside a minute Holywood snatched the lead with another very controversial goal. A chip from the centre circle found Butler apparently in an offside position, but once more play was allowed to continue and he easily lobbed the ball over the exposed Burgess to make the score 2-1.
Amazingly, 2 minutes later the dose was repeated except this time the referee’s decision was more justified. Another through pass split the Rec defence, and Small ran through to slide the ball wide of the keeper into the net.
Rec were shellshocked by the turn of events, but, urged on by McCloskey, went looking for redress, but weakness in midfield put them at a disadvantage. McCracken saw a great drive deflected on to an upright and behind for a corner, and then a McCloskey header from a McCracken centre was well stopped on the line by Tracey.
Butler continued to bother the Comber back four, and should have done better with a 40th minute free kick but glanced it wide, but the half ended at the other end in a spell of Rec pressure, spearheaded by McCloskey. Two of his signature corner kicks caused concern for Holywood, who just about managed to scrape them away.
The second period had hardly got under way when Rec pulled a goal back. McCracken astutely drew two defenders and then played a square ball across for McCloskey who rolled it wide of Tracey into the corner of the net.
Rec gradually started to dominate the action, but their midfield play was much too elaborate, with far too many passes, and unnecessary attempts to take on players.
The withdrawal of a midfielder and introduction of Gordon Leckey was a masterstroke that turned the match. The big striker for the first time seemed to have shaken off the effects of the injury that has plagued him from the start of the season, and he added real power and thrust to the Comber attack. In the 65th minute he went on a strong run past two defenders and fired in a lovely left foot drive that beat Tracey ends up to level the score.
Two minutes later Leckey added his second, Rec’s fourth, and the goal that won the game. Supreme McCracken control on the left and a great shot parried by the keeper allowed Robinson a header on target, and when the ball came back off the crossbar Leckey was on hand to finish from a few yards.
Butler threatened briefly midway through the half but pulled his shot wide, and Burgess showed his class in taking an in-swinging left foot free kick, but the balance of the game had shifted in Comber’s favour and Holywood had faded as a fighting force.
Leckey was denied a hat trick 10 minutes from time by another unaccountable decision. Robinson went on a delightful run down the right and squared a ball over for Leckey to knock in at the back post, but the referee saw fit somehow to award an offside decision even though the pass had not gone forward.
Leckey was having a gala day, and after a nice passing exchange with Robinson, raced past his marker but couldn’t get enough power on the left foot shot to beat Tracey.
This was a match that Rec deserved to win if only on account of the wrong decisions given against them, but full marks must go to a slick Holywood side that must have been disappointed to come away with nothing. Any team, however, that comes from 3-1 behind to win deserves the highest praise for courage and resilience, and Rec certainly showed their fibre in overturning the deficit to take the points. The presence of Burgess between the posts lends stability and authority at the back, and a fully restored Leckey alongside McCracken looks like a combination with goal potential.