Copany produced a second-half fightback to claim a point against an unlucky Letterbarrow side in a proverbial game of two halves at Killowen Park.
Letterbarrow domitated from the start, and deservedly took the lead on 8 minutes when a Letterbarrow player found far too much space to lob Carl O'Brien from 25 yards. Letterbarrow scored their second on 36 minutes when the Copany defense again failed to put in tackles in the build up to another lobbed goal from the edge of the box to leave an abject Copany side two down at half time.
Following much soul-searching at half time, Copany appeared a competely different side in the second half, and put Letterbarrow under pressure from the off. Copany pulled a goal back six minutes into the second half, when Gary Harron made a surging run from right back, and crashed a shot against the post. Fortunately for Copany, Conal Rooney was first to react quickly and finished calmly into the corner of the net.
As Copany pushed in search of the equaliser, they were always liable to be caught on the counter attack, and that's exactly what happened on the 64th minute. A quick move up the pitch by Letterbarrow led to the ball finding Letterbarrow substitute Charlie Bonner. Charlie then produced an exquisite lob from 25 yards into the corner of the net to leave Letterbarrow three-one up (and all the goals being lobs!). Charlie knows all about the dimensions of the Copany pitch, he is the current Copany groundsman, and he certainly knew his angles when he produced this moment of magic!
To their credit, Copany rallied after this. On 73 minutes, yet another surging run and shot from Gary Harron brought a good parrying save from the Letterbarrow keeper. However, David Graham was the first to react this time, and he duly converted to give Copany a glimmer of hope.
Copany's equaliser came ten minutes from full time, when left-back Darren Kilpatrick followed Gary's example, and made a driving run down the left hand flank. Just as he cut into the box, he was tripped by a Letterbarrow defender to gain Copany a penalty kick. Francie Johnston, making his first appearance of the season, slotted home the penalty to level the matters.
Both sides pushed for a winner but to no avial. Gary Harron was outstanding for Copany, with debutant Frankie McGirr putting in a solid performance at center-back.
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