Disgraceful Scenes as Referee Abandons Match 

Amid scenes such as Park Way in its long history has never formerly witnessed, referee Leslie Tipping was forced on Saturday to abandon Comber Rec’s league game with Albert Foundry early in the second half. The referee had no option but to take this course after a pitch invasion and affray in which a Comber Rec official received injuries that required hospital treatment. In view of the seriousness of the incident, it was hardly surprising that many supporters felt intimidated and expressed misgivings about attending further matches, home or away, against  the same opponents.
At the point in the game when this totally reprehensible behaviour occurred, Comber Rec were 2-0 ahead, and Albert Foundry had been reduced to ten men. Shortly after the penalty kick that put Comber Rec two goals in the lead and resulted in the dismissal of a Foundry defender, Peter Kelly was punched full in the face right in front of the referee, and Kevin Monson, who was nowhere near the incident and in no way involved, was also struck in the face. It was at this stage that the incursion on to the pitch occurred and the referee had no choice but to signal the end of play.
The authorities need to be fully aware of the ramifications of such unsavoury behaviour, and their judgement must avoid establishing any precedent which might encourage similar behaviour in similar circumstances. If this kind of incident were to become commonplace, the whole context and conduct of amateur football would unravel.
As for the match itself, Comber Rec, missing Ross Hagen and Marty Robinson in midfield, played a superb tactical game, soaking up everything that Foundry could throw at them, and then hitting very hard on the break. For all their early pressure, Foundry did not seriously threaten, and the real danger lay in the home side’s counter attacks.
Rec went ahead exactly midway through the half when a sublime first time cross from the right sideline by Keith Dougherty found Jim McCloskey in the box and his header gave keeper Mateer no chance.
Rec could have doubled this first half advantage when a Tim Ritchie right foot effort crashed back off the crossbar, and then when Gordon Leckey squared a lovely ball across the face of the goal, missing Craig McCracken by inches.
With ten minutes played of the second period a Foundry defender was dismissed for a foul on Monson inside the area, and McCracken drilled the spot kick home low and hard to the right.
Five minutes later came the punch on Kelly that triggered the pitch invasion and the disgraceful actions that attended it. Genuine fans left Park Way on Saturday with a very sour taste in the mouth. Teams that play football fairly and squarely must be protected.