23.4.16
Spartak 3, Rush 3
Once again the vagaries of LSL fixtures saw Spartak play a second game in three days against opponents who were fresher.
Spartak took a two goal lead with two fine efforts from Ciaran Keane , who twice fired powerfully home.
However the second period saw a different pattern, as tired legs gave a fresher Rush eleven time and space which allowed them to claw their way into the game. When Conor Callis failed to stop a cross, Rush reduced arrears.
Poor passes by Mick Leslie and Ciaran Keane opened the door for the Rush equaliser, and for a while the Sky Blues were in a backs to the wall situation.
Then the home side rallied, with Jeff Gamble hitting a post and Ciaran Keane touching wide from Niall Lennon’s pass.
But a flick on from a free kick saw Spartak’s central defenders caught out and suddenly a 2-0 lead had become a 2-3 deficit.
Again Spartak threw men forward, but had no joy until deep into injury time. Niall Lennon, determinedly on the burst, was met by a high boot to the head at the edge of the box. With the last kick of the game Jeff Gamble fired the resultant free home to rescue a point for the Sky Blues.
Form Report
Greg Byrne 7 Chris Hogan 7 Mick Greene 5 Steve Browne 5 Fintan Grace 5 Darren Ritchie 5 Conor Callis 5 Dave Kernan 7 Niall Lennon 8 Mick Leslie 5 Ciaran Keane 7
Subs: Jeff Gamble 6 Barry Maguire 5 Lee Malone 5
