Village Seconds take Larne Tech to school

It has been a stop start campaign in the league with several weeks having no fixture but this very young side are gradually starting to find their feet with probably the strongest team they have been able to put out for a while.

The visitors, Larne Tech, have had a reasonably good start so it was going to be a tough game but the home side started really brightly with some neat passing football they gave the visiting defence plenty to think about.

Young Matty Rowan and Kenny Gracey up front were lively and the former with his pace was unsettling their back four.

They took a deserved lead when Nathan Hamilton swung in a dangerous free kick which glanced of a defenders head past his own keeper.

Towards the latter stages of the half Tech came more into it but Dromara’s defence were well in control and anything that came into the box 16-year-old keeper Ross Bingham dealt with everything confidently.

The second half was a very even affair but there was not going to be alot of chances in this game with both defences looking strong,a couple of freekicks from Dromara just failed to find a player to finish it off and one run from fullback Gareth Rowan past a couple of defenders saw his shot straight at the keeper.

Christopher McCormack on the other side also had a great driving run and his cross found Gracey but he didn’t get enough power on the header to beat the keeper.

With about 20 minutes remaining Larne got an equaliser when a break away down the right saw a ball pulled back to the edge of the box and a forward controlled and hit a low drive into the bottom corner.

This give them a lift and the midfield of Mitchell, Collins, McElroy and Nathan Hamilton had to work hard to keep them at bay.The home side brought on some fresh legs in Kyle Hamilton and Ryan McVeigh for young McElroy and Nathan Hamilton who both put in a very good shift.

This seemed to boost the home side and they started to threaten again.

They got the break through they sought when Matty Rowan who had a fine game was upended just outside the box.Up stepped Gracey who decieved the keeper with a low shot into the bottom left hand corner to make it 2-1.

At the other end with the clock ticking down the visitors were awarded a freekick in a dangerous position but to the Dromara’s sides relief the shot was staright at keeper Bingham.

A good all round team performance with everyone playing their part but at the back McCormack, Cobb and Gareth Rowan deserve a mention for their performances in defence.

Hopefully this will give the Dromara side with an average age of twenty years old something to build on, but the goal this season will be to try and stay up and build with these young players for the future.