Report : Cranbourne Comets v Clifton Hill United

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Comets back on track. The Comets got a morale boosting win at the Stadium on Saturday with a 3-1 win over 4th bottom Clifton Hill. The Comets had Troy Williams back in defence and the team settled down quickly to the task at hand. It took until the 23rd minute before the Comets got their first goal and it was a dubious penalty decision by referee Douglas Bunt as he awarded it against Clifton Hill Defender Tas Tzimos for obstructing Ben Watson as he was going for goal in the box. Fikret Korkaric stepped up and coolly slotted it in for his 12th goal of the season. The Comets should have added some more goals but just before half –time the Clifton Hill team got a massive blow when their star midfielder Robbie Enes was sent off for his second yellow card when he elbowed Mario Diaco in a contest for the ball. Early in the second half the referee again awarded another penalty to the Comets when from a corner kick he spotted Clifton Hill defender Sam Tyrikos hold Comets forward Frankie Bove down when the ball came over. Bove stepped up and scored his first goal for the Comets with great aplomb. With the travelling support voicing their displeasure at referee Bunt the Clifton Hill team rallied as once again the Comets did not take advantage of their situation. Mattie McDermott came off as he has not shaken off a foot injury and Anthony Ciccarelli slotted in to his spot. More changes came as Cerith Jones came on for Mario Diaco and almost immediately the Jones boy had a rasping shot that Peter Sprekos in the Clifton Hill goal did well to touch over the bar. Midway through the second half it was Clifton Hills time for a lucky break when the where awarded a penalty after their forward Con Stavrakis was bundled into by Comets goalkeeper Stuart Borghona after he had punched the ball clear in an one to one encounter. Despite the Borghona protesting his innocence Referee Bunt waived his pleas away and Michael Tyrikos put it away to reduce the deficit for his team. Shortly after this Troy Williams suffered a recurrence of his injury and had to come off and Simon Keegel who was an ever present player in the team last year got a chance to impress. Referee Bunt surprised everybody again when waived play on when Luke Ventieri was bundled over in the box by goalkeeper Sprekos. This was the only clear cut penalty of the game and he did not give it. It was a nail biting finish for the Comets supporters as chances fell to both teams but almost with the last kick of the game Adam Rudzki knocked in the third goal after some excellent work from Bove down the right flank. Coach White was glad of the three points but still mystified why the Comets struggle at their home games. Looking forward he has reached the half-way spot at the top of the ladder. Happy to be there but knows that only a disciplined team can win this Vodafone State League Two. So the players can expect some hard training nights in the coming weeks to keep their focus on the championship. Next week the Comets are at home again to Morwell Pegasus who are on a bit of a winning streak so another tough encounter is on the cards.