18.2.17
Newlands/Castle Park 3, Spartak 1
Both sides suffered at the hands of the worst referee in the League. Newlands had a player booked for heading the ball; Spartak had a bad foul and an offside ignored in the move for the home sides second goal.
Newlands took the lead on 8 minutes when a corner was cleared back to the taker, who was given too much time to measure his cross to the back post, where poor marking proved costly. Spartak soon equalised, with Gary Bridges finding Mick Leslie on the right; Shane McInerney’s guided header fond the corner of the net.
Before the disputed second goal, Spartak had a golden opportunity to take the lead, when, after a fine move , Owen McCormack cut inside to find himself twelve yards out, but, opting for power, he blasted the ball against a post.
The Sky Blues renewed their efforts in the second period, with a great chance falling to Geoff Abraham following Sean Molloy’s cross; Geoff’s effort, from five yards, was too close to the keeper.
Owen McCormack wormed his way through and looked certain to score, but the keeper saved with his leg; consistent with other decisions, the ref awarded a goal kick rather than a corner. Then, Owen McCormack just failed to connect with Cian Stenson’s corner.
Newlands broke well for a third goal, with a header from a cross, and Conor Canavan made a good save from a one on one as Spartak threw men forward.
Form Report
Conor Canavan 7 Chris Hogan 5 Cian Stenson 7 Gary Bridges 6 Dave O’Kelly 6 Shane McInerney 7 Sean Molloy 6 Geoff Abraham 6 Darren Ritchie 6 Mick Leslie 6 Owen McCormack 6
Subs: Leo Bradley 5 Conor Callis 5 Conor Brady 5 Rob Collins 5
