Late goal sinks Garvey seconds

WITH the Firsts’ game against Civil Service being postponed in midweek, Garvey Seconds took pride of place at Comber Road on Saturday but finished disappointed with a 2-1 defeat to a very useful Annadale Seconds.

The Seconds, fielding a strong outfit themselves, started well and were in control of the game in the opening 15 minutes with little threat coming from the Annadale forwards. With ex first eleven players, Davie Smyth and Gareth Kidd in their defence, Garvey had difficulty creating open chances and after some fruitless raids into the circle, it was the visitors who had the first goal scoring effort in the 16th minute. However, Neil Brazil in the Seconds’ goal was up to the shot and Garvey quickly responded with the first penalty corner of the game in the 22nd minute. Glen Whitten’s drag flick was easily parried by the Annadale keeper.

After Annadale had forced their first penalty corner in the 28th minute which was also dealt with by Brazil, Garvey did open the scoring in the 33rd minute. A well weighted pass from John Gray found Glen Whitten on the left of the circle and his reverse stick shot fairly rocketed past the Annadale keeper.

Garvey took their slender one goal advantage into the second half but the second 35 minutes was not going to be the even contest of the first as Annadale grabbed control of the game with another ex international Chris Jackson being the key player.

Neil Brazil made another great block in the 38th minute and three more saves from set pieces as Annadale turned the screw but Garvey had a penalty corner of their own in the 46th minute; again it was unsuccessful and they were to be punished in the 60th minute when Annadale eventually scored a well deserved equaliser.

It came from their 4th penalty corner but only after Brazil had made another good save at the initial shot only to see the rebound struck past him while on the ground.

Garvey now were far from organised in the mid field area of the pitch and when they did create a wasted chance in the 65th minute, they were caught on the break; in a three to one situation, Annadale scored a very simple winning goal and left Paul Fleming, captain of the Seconds with some headaches for the future especially with the Irish Junior Cup match against Suttonians coming up in early December.