United fight back to earn a point

Draperstown Celtic...2

WATERSIDE Intermediate side Churchill United made a very poor start to this game, finding themselves two goals down inside the first fifteen minutes.

The first looked to be offside but the whistle never came so the striker made the most of the chance to slide the ball past keeper Brown. A few minutes later the Draperstown forward got the benefit of any doubt on another offside decision and he beat Brown to the ball and put the away side two goals to the good.

Paul McColgan’s side were struggling to find any rhythm in the game and found themselves giving possession away cheaply and put pressure on a now confident Draperstown side. When they did manage a spell of possession Churchill worked one or two half chances but nothing to threaten the visitors’ keeper.

When they emerged from the dressing room in the second half they looked like a different side and started the half much more brightly.

A Peter Doherty free kick brilliantly found skipper Gary Simpson at the back post but he couldn't generate the power to trouble the keeper.

It was definitely a game of two halves as Churchill pinned Draperstown back for long spells; another Doherty free kick this time found Paul McColgan but he headed just over.

Doherty then nearly opened Churchill’s account when he was allowed to cut in from the left and unleashed a fierce drive which left the keeper helpless but the ball bounced off the bar only to find its way to JP White who finished well. This goal gave the home side the confidence to believe they could win the game and within minutes they were back on terms.

A scramble in the area was only cleared as far as Simpson who struck it on the half volley and it found its way into the corner of the net.

In what was a much improved second half performance Churchill pushed to try and win the game in the remaining minutes but just couldn’t muster that one clear cut chance they needed to win the game.