12/11/17
Finglas Utd 4, Spartak 3
A Spartak side missing a few regulars went down to a late comeback by the local side.
A dramatic goal line block in the last seconds denied Darragh Logue an equaliser.
On a fine pitch, Spartak started brightly and took the lead in the first minute. A move involving Dave Browne, Owen Marron, Neil McGowan and Dave Kernan gave Ger Byrne the opportunity, and he scored despite a defender handling en route to the net.
Owen Marron made a marvellous block to prevent a certain goal after Kevin Loftus parried a shot in the goalmouth. Spartak took a two goal lead when Neil McGowan volleyed in, right footed, from Ger Byrne’s cross after a blistering run down the touchline.
Almost immediately the home side reduced arrears; but then Spartak, playing fast attacking football, created a host of chances. Dave Kernan’s effort was blocked; Neil McGowan and Stuart Love both fired wide from decent positions.
The home side came back strongly, forcing a goal line clearance, and then equalised when sloppy defending conceded possession. Ger Byrne converted Dave Kernan’s cross, but despite the home side going down to ten men, they availed of two crass defensive errors to score twice as Spartak squandered good possession.
A decent display, spoiled, yet again, by lack of concentration in the final quarter.
Form Report
Kevin Loftus 6 Dave Browne 5 Billy O’Neill 6 Darragh Logue 6 Karl McCullagh 7 Stuart Love 5 Neil McGowan 6 Dave Kernan 7 Niall Lennon 5 Ger Byrne 9 Owen Marron 7
Subs: Cian Stenson 5 Tom O’Driscoll 5 Mick Leslie 5 Andrei Gabriel 6
