Christopher and Cobh hit heights
SOCCER
Daire Walsh
IT was a memorable night for Steven Christopher at Stradbrook last Friday as the industrious midfielder claimed two goals in Cobh Ramblers’ 3-1 victory over Cabinteely in the SSE Airtricity League First Division.
Christopher, who returned to the starting line-up after featuring on the bench against Waterford United seven days earlier, acknowledged that it was an important win for Cobh, and he hopes they will be able to push on for the rest of the 2016 campaign.
“We always knew it was a big game coming into it. We knew that coming up here we were going to get a hard test. We knew that three points were going to be massive for us,” said Christopher. “Next few weeks now, we have to try and kick on, try to stay within the play-off spot. Yeah, it was a good three points.”
His first goal of the tie arrived just over three minutes into the first half and, having scored a header against Athlone Town earlier on in the season, he is now developing a happy habit.
“I got one with my head earlier on in the season against Athlone, he said. “I hadn’t scored a header before that in my life, so I suppose a bit of a surprise, the ball just popped up at the back post and I was there luckily enough.”
Cabinteely restored parity 11 minutes into the second half, only for Cobh to restore their lead with an outstanding long-distance volley by Christopher. He admitted that his team-mates have been urging him to shoot more often, and he was glad that it paid off for him on this occasion.
“The lads were onto me about shooting more! The ball just popped up in the air, so I said I’d hit it, why not. I’d nothing to lose, and it went in. The [Cabinteely] goal kind of rocked us, but we knew that if we turned it on a bit, then we could create chances and if we took the chances then hopefully we’d get the three points.”
Now they have equalled last year’s point tally of 30 points with eight games still to play, Cobh are focusing on this Saturday’s meeting with Athlone Town at St Colman’s Park.
Christopher believes recent league wins gives them momentum, and he is hoping for a repeat performance against the Westmeath outfit.
“It gives us a bit of momentum now. We’ll hopefully kick on again now next week, and get another three points against Athlone. It sets us up nicely for the last round of games, and hopefully we’ll be there or thereabouts towards the end of the season.”