AFTER A GOOD first half in which they led 3-1 at half-time Raphoe couldn’t reproduce the goods in the second half allowing Service back into the game and they had to settle for a draw.
Civil Service 3 Raphoe 3
Raphoe started the game well pinning Service deep into their own half and from their first short corner after ten minutes Ben Wallace opened the scoring from a direct hit from the top of the circle.
For a five minute spell after this Raphoe allowed Service back into the game and they equalised when Chris Barnes for down round the byline and lobbed the ball over Rankin to the back post for Peter Johnston to tap home.
Raphoe regrouped after this set back and regained the lead from another short corner – Ben Wallace again the scorer when he side stepped a couple of defenders before finding the bottom right hand corner.
At the other end Service had chances of their own but Johnny Rankin was on top form saving a couple of Barnes efforts from short corners.
Raphoe were on top all over the pitch approaching half time and they increased their lead on the stroke of half time – a great run down the left from Paul Stewart ended with Ian McGonigle tapping home at the back post. The half ended 3 – 1 to Raphoe.
Raphoe didn’t start the second half as well as the first and this allowed Service a lot more control and they got more and more into the game but again Rankin kept his team in the game. Raphoe wasted several good chances going forward were the final ball was a let down.
Raphoe’s play became scrappy and their passing wasn’t as fluent as it was in the first half and they kept giving the ball away far too easily in the wrong positions.
With ten minutes remaining Service pulled a goal back from a short corner with Chris Barnes finding the top right hand corner from a trademark drag flick.
Two minutes later it was honours even as Barnes scored again from another short corner sending his flick just inside the right hand post. Into the final few minutes and both teams tried to get a winner but to no avail as the final whistle sounded and the game ended 3 – 3.
Raphoe after this disappointing result have to pick themselves up and dust themselves down for a tough game against Mossley next week at the Royal School Grounds. Push back for this game is 2.30pm.
Raphoe: Johnny Rankin, Simon Goudie, Alexander Tinney, Ben Wallace, Alan Meehan, Ian McGonigle, Kit Regan, William Kilpatrick, Keith Meehan, Alan Lyttle, Luke Witherow, Paul Stewart, Vincent Devenney, Stephen Cleverley, George Patterson. Coach: Rodney Bates. Manager: Richard Eaton.
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