Match Report: Seaford Rock United 0-0 Mount Merrion
LSL Sat Major 1c
Perspiration exceeded inspiration at Rockfield Park as another dreary Seaford performance secured a scoreless draw against Mount Merrion.
Eoin English was marginally the busier of the two ‘keepers, particularly as a result of the visitors’ pacey second half counter-attacks, but in truth both team’s attacking lacked an end product, and a stalemate always seemed to be a likely outcome.
Seaford’s Mark Sullivan had the game’s first opening, running on to Alan Brennan’s well-paced throughball, only to flash his shot across the face of goal. At the other end, the lively Cian Rafferty picked out Andrew O’Neill with a left wing cross, but the striker glanced his header wide.
The closest Mount Merrion came followed a mis-hit clearance by English, which rebounded off Brennan’s back to present an opportunity to midfielder Alan Clarke, but Clarke’s long-range volley dropped just over with English backpedalling.
Brennan nearly gave Seaford the lead on 37 minutes when he burst past three opponents, and his cross was almost parried into his own net by Colin Power, but the post saved Power’s blushes. Moments later, the visitors hit the woodwork as Clarke hooked another long range effort towards goal, but English seemed to have it covered as it clipped the top of the bar.
In first minute of the second half, Sullivan had a golden opportunity to open the scoring when he ran onto Stephen Faherty’s header, but Power managed to claw his attempted lob to safety. Shortly afterwards, Paul Lydon. teed up Brennan, but the energetic midfielder’s left-footed shot clipped the post from 20 yards.
Seaford enjoyed territorial dominance, but were vulnerable to the visitor’s quick breaks. The striker O’Neill spun smartly at the edge of the box and forced English into a fine save low to his right, before English used his feet to deny Dillon Fox.
The home side struggled to convert good possession into opportunities, with Mount Merrion centre half Chris Anako particularly impressive in repelling attacks. But the last opportunity of the match fell to O’Rafferty, who was set up by a brilliant solo run by Fox, only to shank his effort wide with only English to beat.
A rare clean sheet for Seaford – their second against the same opposition during the 2015/6 season – was of limited consolation as their promotion hopes were dealt another serious, perhaps fatal, blow.
Seaford: E English; S Kane, J Nolan (R Murray, 81), J Bannon; P Costello; A Finnegan (M O'Neill, 66), A Brennan, S Faherty, R O'Huiginn (J O'Neill, 69); M Sullivan, P Lydon.
Mount Merrion: C Power, K Lyons (L Higgins, 88), C Corcoran (K Walsh, 63), C Simon, C Anako, D Kennedy, J Burke, D Fox, C O’Rafferty, A O’Neill, A Clarke
Rpckfield Park, 19 March 2016
Eoin English was marginally the busier of the two ‘keepers, particularly as a result of the visitors’ pacey second half counter-attacks, but in truth both team’s attacking lacked an end product, and a stalemate always seemed to be a likely outcome.
Seaford’s Mark Sullivan had the game’s first opening, running on to Alan Brennan’s well-paced throughball, only to flash his shot across the face of goal. At the other end, the lively Cian Rafferty picked out Andrew O’Neill with a left wing cross, but the striker glanced his header wide.
The closest Mount Merrion came followed a mis-hit clearance by English, which rebounded off Brennan’s back to present an opportunity to midfielder Alan Clarke, but Clarke’s long-range volley dropped just over with English backpedalling.
Brennan nearly gave Seaford the lead on 37 minutes when he burst past three opponents, and his cross was almost parried into his own net by Colin Power, but the post saved Power’s blushes. Moments later, the visitors hit the woodwork as Clarke hooked another long range effort towards goal, but English seemed to have it covered as it clipped the top of the bar.
In first minute of the second half, Sullivan had a golden opportunity to open the scoring when he ran onto Stephen Faherty’s header, but Power managed to claw his attempted lob to safety. Shortly afterwards, Paul Lydon. teed up Brennan, but the energetic midfielder’s left-footed shot clipped the post from 20 yards.
Seaford enjoyed territorial dominance, but were vulnerable to the visitor’s quick breaks. The striker O’Neill spun smartly at the edge of the box and forced English into a fine save low to his right, before English used his feet to deny Dillon Fox.
The home side struggled to convert good possession into opportunities, with Mount Merrion centre half Chris Anako particularly impressive in repelling attacks. But the last opportunity of the match fell to O’Rafferty, who was set up by a brilliant solo run by Fox, only to shank his effort wide with only English to beat.
A rare clean sheet for Seaford – their second against the same opposition during the 2015/6 season – was of limited consolation as their promotion hopes were dealt another serious, perhaps fatal, blow.
Seaford: E English; S Kane, J Nolan (R Murray, 81), J Bannon; P Costello; A Finnegan (M O'Neill, 66), A Brennan, S Faherty, R O'Huiginn (J O'Neill, 69); M Sullivan, P Lydon.
Mount Merrion: C Power, K Lyons (L Higgins, 88), C Corcoran (K Walsh, 63), C Simon, C Anako, D Kennedy, J Burke, D Fox, C O’Rafferty, A O’Neill, A Clarke
Rpckfield Park, 19 March 2016