Rowe pleased with 2-0 win over Students
U17 SOCCER
Daire Walsh
COBH RAMBLERS U17 manager Damien Rowe was pleased to come away from the UCD Bowl with all three points last Sunday afternoon, as the St Colman’s Park outfit kept their play-off prospects alive with a 2-0 victory in the SSE Airtricity Southern Elite Division.
A 22nd-minute opener from Jaze Kabia was supplemented by a Danny Bruce own goal from the subsequent attack, and with a three week break now ahead of them, Rowe is glad that they will now have time to work on certain aspects of their play.
“The first goal was a well-worked goal, and then to be gifted the second goal a minute later. It gave us a good platform for the rest of the half. We played very well in the first-half. It was a good 2-0 win,” Rowe remarked.
“It keeps us in touch with the top-four there as well, because we were starting to fall behind. Especially with a couple of results yesterday, and we’ve a three week break now as well. It gives us time to work on more stuff. Coming up to Dublin is not easy for any team. We were happy to come away with three points.”
The Cobh attack – which included the likes of Kabia, Cameron Harlson and Loic Nguefang – linked up effectively throughout the opening half, and ultimately helped Ramblers to establish a comfortable interval lead.
Rowe felt the condition of the Belfield pitch was ideal for the way his side wanted to play, but also acknowledged that they should have been in an even more commanding position at the start of the second period.
“Facilities here as well, the pitch is perfect, compared to even some of the other pitches we played on. Lovely one, two touch football, and we got in behind them. Should have put the game out of sight in the first-half, and if they got the next goal, it was a different game then.”
However, the Cobh defence was also extremely impressive on Sunday, and after suffering a 2-0 home defeat to Waterford United seven days earlier, they were determined to finish their ninth league fixture of 2017 with a clean sheet.
“To lose last week, it was a poor game from us. Waterford are a good side, but we were poor.
“We watched the video afterwards. We gave them poor goals away. Coming up here today, we had them well concentrated and well-drilled at the back.
“A clean sheet was a big talk at half-time. We haven’t had one in a long time, so a good clean sheet there today,” Rowe added.