NIWFA Division Three.
Last Gasp Equaliser Earns PSNI Draw
PSNI Ladies 3 v Killyleagh YC Ladies 3
On a damp wet night it was the football which kept the temperatures high at Newforge Lane when a young Killyleagh team took on a more experienced PSNI team with the spectators being the ultimate winners. The Killyleagh crew started slowly with Ceara McCullough and Rosie McKee for the PSNI pressing hard and the experience showing but chance after chance went begging and missed opportunities were to be decisive for both teams.
Having settled Killyleagh started to play smart football moving the ball around quickly and using the wet pitch well. The talented Sarah Jess up front had come close twice before she finally got rewarded with a well taken finish on 16 mins; but within a minute PSNI were level after allowing the PSNI striker to breeze through the defence she was brought down by the keeper in the box and the penalty was firmly dispatched by Ceara McCullough.
In Killyleagh’s defence Mel McComb rallied the troops and gave an amazing display. Nice football and some good passing meant chances were being created and missed by both teams and with the play opening up it created gaps and it was from midfield that Killyleagh got their second when after a powerful run Natalie Savage slotted home in the 25min.
Then the controversy Killyleagh let Suzi Irvine surge down the right and send in a lightning strike which the goalkeeper managed to get hands to and push onto the post just failing to stop the ball crossing the line in the slippery conditions, some spectators second guessing the decision would claim the ball never crossed the line but the goal stood. Rain continued to fall and with the ball skidding around passes had to be well judged and with great credit to both teams they were.
The score remained like that till half time, but within 5 mins of the restart Killyleagh again took the lead with Sarah Jess completing her brace. Tit for tat exchanges took place and opportunities missed with both Sarah Jess and Ceara McCullough coming close on more than a few occasions. It appeared that both had more chance with a lottery ticket than being able to put the ball in the net as neither had the rub of the green.
Both teams used the width of the pitch well and with some excellent play taking place from Kiara Whan, Aimee Donnan for Killyleagh and Lauren Arthur and Suzi Irvine exploiting space the match could have went either way. PSNI brought on Morena Thomas for the hard working Rosie McKee and Killyleagh Tanith Mulraine for the impressive Kaira Whan which didn’t appear to affect the way either team played.
As the clock ticked down it looked like Killyleagh would hold out and as limbs started to tire it was a mistake which cost them the win. As the ball arrived from a corner Natania Hagen who had been outstanding in the Killyleagh goal went to take a simple catch but with wet gloves it slipped through her hands and dropped to Lauren Arthur for a simple nod in on the 42nd min.
With both teams tired and wet it was Killyleagh who finished the stronger and it took stern defending from the whole PSNI team to prevent them walking away with a win. Overall a very entertaining match for all concerned!
Report – A Freethinker
