Everton 3 Spartak 1
A 15th minute screamer from 20 yards by Niall Hanratty gave Spartak the lead in this game , but it proved not enough against the league leaders. Spartak will look back at chances missed and a penalty conceded as the turning points of the game. Shane McInerney was centrally involved in these key incidents, somewhat unluckily conceding a penalty after a scramble, and heading over when well placed from Mick Greene’s pinpoint cross.
A second game in three days proved tough going and some players found it harder than others. Mick Greene’s lack of fitness could not carry him through while Mark Bolger was unable to fully shoulder the burden of lone front man; however Niall Hanratty thrived on the extra game and produced a second man of the match performance in a row.
Before scoring, Spartak had gone close when Hanratty’s cross just eluded Dermot Dooley and then Mark Bolger went close with headers from Greene’s free and then again from Hanratty’s corner. Good work from Chris Hogan and Mick Costello led to the goal which Hanratty cracked home from distance.
Spartak did not retain the lead for long enough and Everton equalised with a shot from even further out, 30 yards, on 25 minutes. On 34 minutes Everton went further ahead with the penalty and early in the second half got number 3 when Cathal Clancy was pulled back when about to clear and the ball was drilled home after a corner.
Cathal Clancy made a goal line clearance and at the other end Shane McInerney then had chances from Greene set pieces but could not convert.
Substitutes combined to almost almost reduce arrears when Barry Maguire made a chance for Dave Williams, but the shot was delayed and danger averted.
Overall a solid performance against a strong outfit who deserved to win; Spartak, the only side to beat them in the league so far, would have needed to hold on to the lead a while longer to frustrate them and repeat the feat.
Form Report
Jason Northey 7 Dave O’Kelly 7 Mick Greene 5 Martin Costello 7 Cathal Clancy 7 Shane McInerney 6 Niall Hanratty 8 Chris Hogan 5 Mark Bolger 6 Dermot Dooley 6 Mick Costello 5
Subs Dave Williams 5 Barry Maguire 5
April 27th, 2010 at 10:28 am
“Mick Greene‚Äôs lack of fitness could not carry him through”….Mick Greene’s 2 knees and left ankle are in such a jock that if I was a dog I would have been put down.
April 27th, 2010 at 10:30 am
And….by Paul’s reckoning Ledley King and Fernando Torres are not fit because they rarely play 2 full games in a week.
April 27th, 2010 at 10:54 am
Mick can you stick up my illustration of my wonder goal.
thanks
Hano.
April 27th, 2010 at 11:20 am
no
April 27th, 2010 at 12:54 pm
Baz Magazz deserved more than a 5 in my book.
April 27th, 2010 at 3:47 pm
Chopper a 7?
i think Paul is doing the dirt on you Martin
April 27th, 2010 at 3:58 pm
Yeah you should beput down Mick, nothing to do with the fitness aspect though, more just a service to mankind!
April 27th, 2010 at 5:02 pm
thanks Browner I always thought you were sound. Now I hope your dropped for the cup final….actually dropped is such a tough word. Rested.
April 27th, 2010 at 9:59 pm
Lads can we all not just get along,I think I speak for everyone when I say that the results for the sat team have not been what we’ve been used to or expect last couple of weeks due to a few injuries and so on,we’ve another tough game on sat against eid,so whoever can make it come and lend your support,(chopper wasn’t a 7 though ha).
April 28th, 2010 at 8:03 am
Its just friendly banter Shane….but if Browner crosses me in training I’m going for the knees!!
April 28th, 2010 at 10:09 am
Can we have anybody in the club that loves kicking foreigners please tog out on Saturday.
I realy dont want to lose to this shower.
April 28th, 2010 at 11:10 am
Id say kevo would give it a go hano
April 28th, 2010 at 6:37 pm
chopper thinks hano and shane are right, it should of been an 8, ha