Castlewellan moved ever closer to the 2C title with a convincing win over a much improved Suffolk Swifts side last Saturday. They need just one win from their last three games to be crowned champions.
With Sean Russell pulling the strings in midfield, the Town at times played some sensational stuff in the first period but were guilty of a host of missed chances. Croskery, Gilmore and Jarosinski were all well placed to give the home side the lead but a mixture of brilliant goalkeeping and poor finishing left the Town players and supporters frustrated. Suffolk , a big and physical side looked dangerous on the break but it wasn’t until the half hour mark that they got a clear sight of goal, a shot that went narrowly over. The game continued in a similar pattern until half time with the breakthrough proving elusive.
Although manager Kelly was shaking his head as the half time whistle went it was clear that if the Town scored early in the second half it would take the pressure off. This they duly did and In the first minute Fitzsimmons played in Croskery whose shot from the edge of the area was parried by the keeper but Jason followed up and slotted home the rebound. It became two in the 57th minute when a direct free kick 20 yards out was fairly rifled into the top corner by Karol Jarosinski. On the hour mark Castlewellan made two changes with Colm Flanagan and teenage starlet Gareth McKibben entering the fray. Both fitted in seamlessly and within five minutes of coming on Flanagan had hit the post twice, whatever had been annoying him. Eventually in the 73rd minute the Town made it three nil when Stevie Trainor’s persistence provided an opening for Corrigan to swivel and bulge the net. Suffolk pulled a goal back when Rory Burns was penalised for lifting what was deemed to have been a back pass, despite a packed 6 yard box the Swifts managed to find a way through. With time running out Travers released young McKibben on the left and he cut inside to drill home number four, beating the keeper at his near post. Just on the full time whistle Jarosinski made it five when he headed home a perfect Trainor cross.
Apart from the questionable finishing in the first half this was a very satisfactory performance from Castlewellan whose movement was excellent all the way through. Sean Russell, like a fine wine seems to get better with age, put in a man of the match performance closely followed by Davy Gilmore whose penetrating runs and quiet industry are vital to the team.
So time to refocus and go again knowing that a win in their next game away to 4th Newtownabbey OB on April 1st would clinch the title. I imagine that Aidan Kelly will impress upon the players that nothing has been won yet and that the application needs to be there as 4th have had a few decent results of late.
