Seconds finally break their duck

Goals from Andrew Henderson, Ned Walsh and Roger McCartan helped Dromore make the perfect start to 2013 after a torrid opening 11 league games of the campaign which saw them collect just a single, solitary point.

But clearly the New Year’s resolution was to stop being the soft touch of Division 3E - and, at the twelfth time of asking, the Amateurs were finally the team to leave the field of play victorious.

And this win - on the large pitch at the Community Centre - was no fluke, it was fully deserved as Dromore just edged an absorbing contest between two evenly matched sides.

It was a game that ebbed and flowed, with numerous chances at both ends - indeed, the final score should have been something like 8-7 as both keepers pulled off at least five top-drawer saves apiece.

Dromore took the lead on 20 minutes when Henderson drilled home a fine finish from an acute angle. The Amateurs then should have doubled their lead but the Rooftop keeper made a superb save from a penalty - and the visitors pulled level before half half time with a well worked goal.

The second period started disastrously for Dromore when the Rooftop full-back lashed home a wonder strike from 25 yards.

But the Amateurs sensed there were goals for the taking if they kept pushing forward - and as the rain came down, Walsh popped up at the back post to nod a sweeping cross from Colin Harper into the net.

Then came the winning strike on 75 minutes - McCartan intercepted a pass inside his own half and charged forward, springing the offside trap, shoulder-charging the last defender to the ground, and staying calm to blast the ball under the advancing Rooftop keeper. A great solo effort that saw him run over 70 yards.

Dromore’s long-suffering manager Ronnie McMurray endured an agonising last 15 minutes as Rooftop piled on the pressure, but his defence - with impressive debut boy Thomas Martin at full back - stood firm to see out a welcome 3-2 victory.

A special mention for the official referee whose authority was never in doubt due to his extremely competent handling of the game from first whistle to the last.

Team: K McKinstry, T Martin, G Hill, R Ward, C Harper, R McCartan, M Beattie, A Noble, A Henderson, D Brownlee, N Walsh. Subs: S Smyth, M Mcloughlin, R McMurray.

At the time of going to press, Dromore’s fixture for this weekend is not known - but whoever it is, the hope must be that the Amateurs have turned the corner and it’ll not be long before they’re off the bottom of the table.