Spartak Dynamo FC

Spartak 5, St Itas 2

A scintillating spell in the first half saw Spartak home and hosed in this contest in which the visitors had equal territorial possesion but could not match Spartak’s finishing skills.

Spartak fell behind after just 3 minutes when uncertain defending by Chris Hogan and Ryan Burke allowed a long range effort from Itas which struck the bar. A visiting forward reacted quickly to score as Mick Greene was caught by surprise.

Spartak settled down and began to play well and after Niall Hanratty’s free was headed over by Mick Costello. Mick’s flick on caused the confusion which led to the equaliser, an OG, as Shane McInerney and Ryan Burke applied pressure.

Spartak then spurned a golden opportunity when Hanratty’s pass released Ryan Burke into a two on one situation, but Ryan, faced with the options of passing to the unmarked Mick Costello or going alone, crossed wastefully wide.

On 18 minutes a peach of a pass from Hanratty released Ross Kelly, who drilled home first time from 18 yards. And the goal of the match followed minutes later when Hogan fed Hanratty and his pass was smashed into the bottom corner by Derek McGoldrick.

Spartak, and Hanratty in particular, were now rampant and Hanratty smashed a long range effort off the crossbar, before Mick Costello supplied Ross Kelly to slip his second beyond the advancing keeper.

Chris Hogan , who supplied some good forward passes, was at times careless defensively, and when his attempted pass across field was intercepted, Mick Greene had to scramble the ball away for a corner. Indeed Itas had a few decent efforts off target before Mick Costello, with Hanratty again the supplier, scored number 5 on 44 minutes after a good run.

The second half was a more prosaic affair after the heady stuff of the opening period. Hanratty, who tired noticeably after a blistering opening half, blazed wide from a good position and Hanratty and Hogan combined well for the latter to cross well, but just out of reach of McGoldrick.

As Ita’s strove to get back in the game, Cathal Clancy had to clear off the line and Ita’s reduced arrears from a corner on 65 minutes. The defensive line became somewhat erratic and Spartak were fortunate that the visitors’ efforts were either off target or within the clutches of Mick Greene.

Form Report
Mick Greene 6 Chris Hogan 6 Dillon Burke 6 Martin Costello 7 Cathal Clancy 7 Shane McInerney 7 Niall Hanratty 9 Ryan Burke 6 Derek McGoldrick 7 Ross Kelly 8 Mick Costello 7
Subs Mike Hull 5 Kevin Mannion 6 Niall Lennon 6 Eoin Grogan

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