Dromore surrender two goal lead but high-flyers Dunmurry are held

The locals had been two up through Beattie and Haslem but the high-flying hosts showed their class and came back to snatch a 2-2 draw

It said it all that 10th placed Dromore came away feeling a little disappointed with their point.

Dromore started well and should have taken the lead inside five minutes when Haslem chested off to strike partner Rowan on the edge of the box and he let fly with a great strike which the keeper did well to tip round the post.

Dromore continued to press and it was the locals who created the next chance when good play in midfield from Fletcher and Beattie resulted in Haslem being put through on goal only to see his shot fly over the bar with only the keeper to beat.

At the other endm the Dromore defence was standing firm to the hustle and bustle of the two big centre forwards.

Rowan had to go off midway through the first half with Stephen Downey coming on in his place and the big striker started to cause havoc in the Dunmurry defence.

Dromore’s dominance told five minutes before half-time when Beattie got the final touch in a scramble to put the Amateurs one up.

Dunmurry pushed for the equaliser after the break but it was Dromore who got the second goal. Good play from Gilliland and Tinsley released Haslem down the right and he made no mistake from 12 yards out with a crisp finish past the advancing keeper.

Dromore even had the chance to put the game to bed when Haslem broke on the right but shot wide when a pass to Beattie with the goal at his mercy might have been the better option.

And Dunmurry made their visitors regret their misses. They got one back through a clinical one-on-one finish and got the equaliser 15 minutes from time when a long throw wasn’t dealt with and the striker capitalised.

Dunmurry pushed for the winner but Dromore had two chances of their own.

Substitute Maguire teed up the impressive Downey whose left foot shot slide the wrong side of the post then when a bad kick out from the keeper was intercepted by Maguire, the keeper redeemed himself with a good save down low.

Dromore defended stoutly in the last few minutes throwing their bodies on the line, notably Gilliland and Gareth Rowan, to earn themselves a much deserved point.

Manager Brownlee said he was “proud of the effort and commitment shown by his players on a very difficult playing surface” and commented that in weeks to come, if performance levels are the same, more points will be picked up.

At the time of going to press, Dromore had no fixtures scheduled.

AMATEURS: Coady, Walker, McMurray, Martin, G Rowan, Gilliland, Flecther, Beattie, S Haslem, M Rowan, Tinsley, McDonald, Downey, Maguire