10.3.12
Booth Road 0, Spartak 0.
Spartak came away from the visit to the league leaders with a sense of regret at not taking all three points. Spartak started (and indeed ended) the game having dropped just 5 points more than the leaders.
No scoreless games for ages and then two in a row come along. While Spartak will take credit for another clean sheet the season’s long tale of lack of finishing power was again to the fore; just 18 goals scored in 14 league games tells its own story. At the back Paul Kinsella, recovering form and fitness, marshalled the defence and covered excellently while also finding time for a few surging runs.
The Sky Blues, on balance, had the best chances to win the game, although Booth missed a couple of good chances and were denied in injury time by an athletic save by Jason Northey.
The big opportunity for the Sky Blues came on 63 minutes when Conor Maguire’s run into the box was interrupted by a foul. Mick Greene stepped up for the spot kick and struck it low but too close to the keeper, who parried. Mick ran in for the rebound, but to his chagrin, fired the ball wide.
Spartak had quite a few chances apart from the spot kick. Niall Lennon supplied a couple of through balls to Ross Kelly and then to Conor Maguire. Ross’s attempt on the turn was wide; Conor’s was the better chance but the keeper smothered the ball. Mick Greene’s corner found Niall Lennon alone and unmarked at the back post, but his header lacked conviction and flew harmlessly wide.
There were a few half chances which fell to Fintan Grace and Steve Walsh but to no avail.
Booth had their chances and the striker blazed over from a right wing cross in the first period; then at the start of the second he winger evaded Mick Greene but blazed wide. A more remarkable miss occurred when a header by a Booth player seemed goalward bound until another Booth player effectively cleared it off the line.
Late substitutes Chris Hogan and Derek McGoldrick combined to set up Steve Walsh who fired wide. Then as the clock ticked down Conor Maguire made a run on the left; with Sky Blue jerseys filling the box the ball fell to Chris Hogan, but his shot was directly at the keeper.
A decent performance in all but the final third of the pitch.
Form Report
Jason Northey 7 Conor Canavan 7 Mick Greene 6 Fintan Grace 7 Paul Kinsella 9 Mick Costello 6 Niall Lennon 6 Conor Maguire 7 Steve Walsh 6 Ross Kelly 7 Derek Ruxton 6
Subs: Shane McInerney 6 Chris Hogan 6 Derek McGoldrick 6 Martin Costello Steve O’Hara.
