Match Report: Verona 3-4 Seaford Rock United
LSL Sat Major !A
Seaford edged a rollercoaster match in Coolmine, throwing away a two-goal lead before eventually coming from behind to take the points.
The Penguins dominated the early exchanges with Garrett Connolly breaking through twice in the first five minutes only to be denied by saving tackles from first Brendan Murphy and then Thomas Martin, and he later found Robbie Creevy in the box, who headed over.
Seaford opening the scoring following some typically tenacious pressing from Al Kennedy and Chris Monk, who recovered the ball to allow Stephen Canavan to spin deftly and curl home from 20 yards.
Monk doubled the visitors’ lead when he met Connolly’s cross with a bullet header at the near post
Verona pulled one back when Ciaran Murray’s crossfield ball found Ange Wanzio at the back post, and the midfielder let go of a rocket of a shot which Neil Howarth could only parry into the underside of the bar as it went in.
There was a lucky break for Verona in their equaliser as a flick off Paul Tansey played Murray onside, and with Howarth in no-man’s land as the striker slotted home.
And the comeback was complete in the opening seconds of the second half as Murray ran on to a long ball from Robbie Byrne to fire past Howarth again.
The navy blues were up against it now, having lost a two-goal advantage for the second consecutive weekend. They felt they should have been awarded a penalty when Monk was tripped as he burst into the box, but only a free kick was given. Dead ball expert MJ Tierney was hastily introduced off the subs bench, and he made light of an unfavourable angle to bury it in the top corner.
Minutes later, the skipper Monk maintained his purple patch of midfield goalscoring , notching his ninth in six appearances. Darragh Connolly has made the initial break forward only to be held up by recovering defenders, but he found Monk who shifted the ball left and then right to bamboozle an opponent before prodding home.
The older Connolly has a chance to put the outcome beyond doubt after substitute Alex Smirnoff has slipped him in but couldn’t beat Declan Boyd.
Instead, Verona applied some late pressure but the Penguin rearguard held firm. There were hearts in mouths for Seaford as an injury time half-volley fizzed just past the post but it proved to be the last action of the match, making it five wins from ten in the league campaign.
Seaford: Neil Howarth, Stephen Kelly, Jim Nolan (Paul Tansey, 31), Ian Nolan, Cian McGuinness, Sam Browne (MJ Tierney, 63), Robbie Creevy, Al Kennedy, Chris Monk (Mike O'Neill, 90), Garrett Connolly (Darragh Connolly, 63) Stephen Canavan (Alex Smirnoff, 84), . Goals: Canavan (18), Monk (23, 68) Tierney (64)
Verona: Declan Boyd, Robbie Byrne, Martin Byrne, Liam Moran, Vincent McDermott, Brendan Murphy, Ange Wanzio, Darren Murray, Aidan Lyons, Ciaran Murray, Thomas Martin. Subs: Kevin Dunne,Mel Chead, Mark Walsh, Aaron O'Hanrahan. Goals: Wanzio (30), C Murray (39, 46)
Coolmine, 18 January 2020
The Penguins dominated the early exchanges with Garrett Connolly breaking through twice in the first five minutes only to be denied by saving tackles from first Brendan Murphy and then Thomas Martin, and he later found Robbie Creevy in the box, who headed over.
Seaford opening the scoring following some typically tenacious pressing from Al Kennedy and Chris Monk, who recovered the ball to allow Stephen Canavan to spin deftly and curl home from 20 yards.
Monk doubled the visitors’ lead when he met Connolly’s cross with a bullet header at the near post
Verona pulled one back when Ciaran Murray’s crossfield ball found Ange Wanzio at the back post, and the midfielder let go of a rocket of a shot which Neil Howarth could only parry into the underside of the bar as it went in.
There was a lucky break for Verona in their equaliser as a flick off Paul Tansey played Murray onside, and with Howarth in no-man’s land as the striker slotted home.
And the comeback was complete in the opening seconds of the second half as Murray ran on to a long ball from Robbie Byrne to fire past Howarth again.
The navy blues were up against it now, having lost a two-goal advantage for the second consecutive weekend. They felt they should have been awarded a penalty when Monk was tripped as he burst into the box, but only a free kick was given. Dead ball expert MJ Tierney was hastily introduced off the subs bench, and he made light of an unfavourable angle to bury it in the top corner.
Minutes later, the skipper Monk maintained his purple patch of midfield goalscoring , notching his ninth in six appearances. Darragh Connolly has made the initial break forward only to be held up by recovering defenders, but he found Monk who shifted the ball left and then right to bamboozle an opponent before prodding home.
The older Connolly has a chance to put the outcome beyond doubt after substitute Alex Smirnoff has slipped him in but couldn’t beat Declan Boyd.
Instead, Verona applied some late pressure but the Penguin rearguard held firm. There were hearts in mouths for Seaford as an injury time half-volley fizzed just past the post but it proved to be the last action of the match, making it five wins from ten in the league campaign.
Seaford: Neil Howarth, Stephen Kelly, Jim Nolan (Paul Tansey, 31), Ian Nolan, Cian McGuinness, Sam Browne (MJ Tierney, 63), Robbie Creevy, Al Kennedy, Chris Monk (Mike O'Neill, 90), Garrett Connolly (Darragh Connolly, 63) Stephen Canavan (Alex Smirnoff, 84), . Goals: Canavan (18), Monk (23, 68) Tierney (64)
Verona: Declan Boyd, Robbie Byrne, Martin Byrne, Liam Moran, Vincent McDermott, Brendan Murphy, Ange Wanzio, Darren Murray, Aidan Lyons, Ciaran Murray, Thomas Martin. Subs: Kevin Dunne,Mel Chead, Mark Walsh, Aaron O'Hanrahan. Goals: Wanzio (30), C Murray (39, 46)
Coolmine, 18 January 2020