14.9.14
Spartak 4, Woods Utd 1.
Spartak were slightly flattered by the scoreline as the visitors dominated the final twenty minutes before Steve Walsh applied the coup de grace deep into injury time.
Spartak started well but attacks were halted by possibly over enthusiastic Martin Costello interventions, conceding frees or getting caught offside. Either way MArtin did not see eye to eye with the ref on these calls. A nice move between Neil McGowan and Steve Walsh then saw Martin Costello race down the right, but his cross was poor, mainly due to the kick on the calf he received en route.
The opening score came on 23 minutes when a neat Aodhan McCahill /Neil McGowan combination sent Steve Walsh into the penalty area on the left; a couple of jinks left opposition players flat footed and the precise cross which evaded the defenders left Martin Costello a simple task from 6 yards.
The number of decent attacking moves by Spartak which were halted by a whistle for offside made for a build up of frustration and it seemed at one point that the referee had reverted to the pre 1927 offside rule which required 3 players between the attacker and the goal line. Steve Walsh was blown offside on the edge of the area while a visiting defender stood at the edge of the six yard box.
A Steve Grier throw flicked on by Seamus McCahill was met at the back post by Neil McGowan whose header back across goal beat the keeper and struck the angle of post and bar; but no Sky Blue player was following up for what would have been an easy tap in.
So Spartak reached the interval just a goal up, despite some energetic efforts.
On 59 minutes a Walsh corner dropped favorably to Neil McGowan who made no mistake from close range. Paul Kinsella and Ken Buckley then were foolishly booked complaining about a blatant foul on Steve Walsh which did not result in a free.
Spartak were now quite flat and relying on breakaways; but these were regularly halted by offside calls, and as they dropped deeper the visitors reduced arrears on 69 minutes.
The Sky Blues response was quick and the third goal on 72 minutes saw a long Steve Grier pass send Steve Walsh away down the left and he showed great composure in his run and finish.
Woods continued to boss the midfield and Martin Costello cleared off the line, Bobby scrambled away another effort and a miskick by Aodhan McCahill presented an easy chance missed by the visitors. The Sky Blues were shipping some physical punishment with Steve Grier on the end of one tackle which went completely unpunished.
Bookings mounted for Spartak, with Neil McGowan and Seamus McCahill carded for fouls, the latter not helped by Paul Kinsella’s blood curdling exhortations.
A 99th minute goal by Steve Walsh, who ignored a half hearted offside appeal, raced away and calmly rounded the keeper to score after Stuart Love had won the ball and sent him through wrapped things up for Spartak.
Form Report
Bobby Hayes 6 David Kernan 7 Aodhan McCahill 7 Steve Grier 7 Paul Kinsella 7 Stuart Love 7 Neil McGowan 7 Ken Buckley 5 Seamus McCahill 5 Martin Costello 6 Steve Walsh 8.
Sub: Mick Leslie 5
