Spartak Dynamo FC

29.12.19
Parkvale 0, Spartak 2

A calm dry day at Rockbrook saw two second half goals win the game for the Sky Blues in a good run out for both sides.

A brave save by Andy Hughes saw the ball cleared to Dave Browne whose first time pass sent Cian Stenson free. Cian drew a defender before releasing stuart Love aon the left, and his low cross was converted by Gerry McGuiness. A second goal by Cian Stenson clinched the result.

The Spartak defence was ably marshalled by Dave Byrne and Seamus McCahill.

Form Report:
Andy Hughes 7 Aidan Duignan 6 Dave Browne 6 Seamus McCahill 7 Dave Byrne 7 Stuart Love 6 Neil McGowan 5 Conor Canavan 5 Gerry McGuinness 6 Liam Caffrey 5 Cian Stenson 7.

14.12.19
Leixlip 0 , Spartak 1

A vital away win secured with a fine goal by Conor Brady after Owen Marron’s persistence and speed had created the opportunity.

Spartak began the game strongly, and Dylan Scanlon had a very early chance which he screwed wide.

Leixlip then had a good chance after a free unnecessarily conceded gave them a shooting opportunity from a good position. Spartak got a slice of luck as the shot rebounded from the woodwork into the grateful arms of Andy Hughes.

After the Spartak breakthrough, Leixlip piled on the pressure, pushing men forward, and it took some brave defending from Spartak to prevent an equaliser. In particular a goalmouth scramble saw a series of great blocks to deny the hosts.

As pressure mounted, Spartak tried to break out, but were given offside ten yards inside their own half. Admittedly there was a lack of VAR to assist the ref.

Three points and a clean sheet.

Form Report
Andy Hughes 7 Chris Hogan 7 Darren Hughes 7 Jack Rogers 8 Kevin Murphy 7 Dwayne Curry 6 Ciaran Brady 5 Owen Marron 7 Owen McCormack 5 Dylan Scanlon 5 Pedro Lopes 6
Subs: Conor Brady 7 Liam Caffrey 6 Craig Hyland 5

17.11.19
Spartak 4, Tymon 1

The Sky Blues gained revenge for a earlier reverse by Tymon with a clear win.

Fielding a full strength squad, Spartak were good value for the three points.

Dave Power poked home his first Spartak goal after a scramble, and Cian Stenson doubled the lead with a neat finish. Tymon reduced arrears, but an extraordinarily confident volley from Owen Marron, after his long range effort returned to him via the crossbar, more or less clinched the point, while Amin Afsar added to Tymon’s pain with a looped effort.

Form Report
Jason Northey 6 Kev Cunningham 6 Ian Harmon 7 Steve Grier 6 Tom O’Driscoll 6 Niall Hanratty 6 Neil McGowan 6 Stu Love 6
Owen Marron 7 Dave Power 6 Cian Stenson 6
Subs: Dave Browne 6 Jeff Gamble 6 Amin Afsar 6 Dave Byrne 6 Jason Fenlon Lee Griffin

7.12.19
Mount Merrion Youths 1, Spartak 4

On a muddy and windy Bearna Park, the Sky Blues battled their way to an excellent win, despite going a goal down early on.

Ian Corcoran soon headed home Neil McGowan’s corner kick to equalise, and then Ian’s cross was finished by Pedro Lopes. Ian almost completed a purple patch when his shot struck the foot of the post.

In a comfotable second half Spartak added goals from Jack Rogers and Conor Brady, while Ian Corcoran fired a good chance over and James Flynn’s header brought a fine save from the home keeper.

Form Report
Bobby Hayes 5 Chris Hogan 6 Darren Hughes 8 Jack Rogers 8 Kevin Cunningham 7 Dwayne Curry 6 Neil McGowan 7 Owen Marron 6 Pedro Lopes 6 Stuart Love 6 Ian Corcoran 7
Subs: James Flynn 6 Conor Brady 6

27.10.19
Edenderry Town 2, Spartak 2

With many of their teammates opting for a weekend away in various fleshpots, it was a bare 11 players in sky Blue who made the journey to the midlands.

The journey was well worthwhile as a battling performance secured a point.

When Edenderry regained the lead in the 90th minute, it seemed Spartak would leave empty handed despite a good display. But in the 94th minute Dave Browne powered in a header from a Niall Hanratty corner to secure the draw.

Spartak created a number of decent chances; Niall Lennon failed to connect at the far post, Jason Fenlon forced the keeper into conceding a corner, and Dave Browne had an earlier header wide.

Playing with composure, Spartak made light of the situation, with the midfield trio of Hanratty, Lennon and Stuart Love getting through a mountain of work.

The locals took the lead in the 62nd minute, and it was only in the 84th minute that Stuart Love knocked in the rebound when Ciaran Brady’s headed effort came back off the crossbar.

A most satisfying performance.

Form Report
Jason Northey 7 Chris Hogan 7 Cian Stenson 7 Dave Byrne 8 Dave Browne 8 Stuart Love 8 Niall Hanratty 8 Lee Griffin 7 Niall Lennon 8 Jason Fenlon 7 Ciaran Brady 8

29.9.19
Sallins Celtic 3, Spartak 4 (AET)

Spartak had to come from behind twice in normal time before Stuart Love nodded in the winner from Jason Fenlon’s cross in extra time.

Jason Fenlon had given Spartak an early lead, justified on the play, but the home team struck back with a powerfully driven free which evaded the grasp of Jason Northey, who had a fine game after recovering miraculously from grievous injury the previous week.

Poor marking from a free allowed Sallins to lead, until Kevin Cunningham drove in from close range. A good move by the home side with ten to go looked to have booked their passage to the next round, but a Steve Grier header in the 89th minute forced extra time.

Spartak sparkled in teh first period of extra time, making several chances before Love’s winner. The second period saw the home side throw caution to the winds; both sides had chances but none were converted.

Form Report
Jason Northey 7 Kevin Cunningham 7 Cian Stenson 7 Ian Harmon 8 Dave O’Kelly 7 Stuart Love 7 Neil McGowan 7
Amin Afsar 6 Steve Grier 7 Jason Fenlon 7 Keith Kelly 6
Subs: Owen McCormack 6 Dave Byrne 6

22.9.19
Tymon Bawn 2, Spartak 1

Spartak’s torrid start to the season continued as the Sky Blues went down to Tymon Bawn by the odd goal in three. A soft penalty award gave Spartak a chance to claim a point, but Steve Grier’s effort from the spot was easily saved by the home custodian. Neil McGowan’s effort from 20 yards gave the Sky Blues the lead, and good chances fell to Eric Barber, Jason Fenlon and Stuart Love, but to no avail.

A sloppy equaliser conceded on the stroke of half time was exacerbated by a goal conceded from a cornerjust after the break.

Jason Northey was fouled and had to depart, leaving the ten men to battle on, which they did. Guile was lacking however and apart form the penalty the best chance fell to Jason Fenlon who shot wide after a good Tom O’Driscoll pass.

Form Report
Jason Northey 6 Kev Cunningham 6 Dave Browne 5 Ian Harmon 7 Steve Grier 6 Stuart Love 5 Neil McGowan 6 Tom O’Driscoll 5 Eric Barber 6 Jason Fenlon 5 Cian Stenson 5

12.4.19
Wayside 1, Spartak 2

Spartak came away with three points from an entertaining Friday night astro clash.

Wayside edged possession in the first half, but Spartak smashed two off the bar and scored.

Owen Marron cut inside and fired off the crossbar, while Niall Hanratty had a good shot also shudder the frame of the goal. In between, Billy O’Neill volleyed in sweetly from Steve Grier’s flick on, midway through the first half. One of Spartak’s better moves saw Amin Afsar fire wide of the near post after good work from Niall Hanratty and Owen Marron.

Ian Harmon and Steve Grier had snuffed out most home attacks, and Wayside failed to overly trouble Jason Northey.

Stuart Love, stretching, was just over iwth a header form Amin Afsar’s cross, while Niall Hanratty fired over after exchanging passes with Owen Marron.

On 67 minutes a Neil McGowan cross was turned into his own net by a home defender to make it 2.0.

A harshly awarded penalty gave Jason Northey the chance to shine, making a triple save before Stuart Love completed the clearance. Wayside then fired one in from the edge of the box to set up a late flurry. With all subs used, Niall Hanratty had to limp out the final few minutes as Spartak held firm.

Form Report
Jason Northey 7 Jimmy Dawson 8 Ian Harmon 8 Steve Grier 8 Kevin Cunningham 7 Niall Hanratty 7 Neil McGowan 7 Stuart Love 7 Amin Afsar 6 Owen Marron 7 Billy O’Neill 7
Subs: Kamel Moussa 5 Tom O’Driscoll 5 Dave Browne 6.

7.4.19
Bohs SC 1, Spartak 2

An injury time penalty miss by the home side meant Spartak held on to the three points. It looked odds on a draw, but the spot kick was blazed over.

Indeed it was only in the last minute of normal time that Spartak took the lead. Steve Grier fired in a free from the edge of the box, having earlier seen a similar effort hit the woodwork.

Spartak took a first half lead when Owen Marron was first to touch in a long free kick from Kevin Cunningham. The hosts had created chnaces, struck the wood work themselves.

For a long spell it seemed that one goal would suffice, but confusion in the Spartak defence saw Bohs equalise with 15 minutes remaining. Substitutes made an impact, Billy O’Neill went close, while Jeff Gamble livened up the Spartak attack.

Then came the late late show.

Form Report
Jason Northey 5 Jimmy Dawson 7 Kevin Cunningham 7 Steve Grier 8 Ian Harmon 7 Stuart Love 6 Neil McGowan 7 Niall Hanratty 6 Owen Marron 6 Kamel Moussa 6 Cian Stenson 5
Subs: Mauro Segovia 5 Jeff Gamble 7 Billy O’Neill 7 Amin Afsar 5

31.3.19
Spartak 2, Tymon 0

A goal by substitute Kamel Moussa in the 83rd minute proved decisive, and finally broke Tymon’s resistance; Owen MAroon added number two in injury time.

Spartak began well, and Cian Stenson was just wide from Neil McGowan’s pass. Niall Hanratty’s snapshot was just wide; Tymon blocked an effort from Niall Lennon. Several more half chances came Spartak’s way, but it was not all one way traffic as the visitors number 10 was just wide with a good effort.

Frustration grew as Niall Lennon just failed to play Owen Marron clear, while Niall Hanratty unwisely attempted a chipped effort, easily saved, when Cian Stenson put him clear.

Tymon had a header from a corner just wide asthe tie threatened to drift away from the Sky Blues.

Finally, Cian Stenson’s cross travelled across goal for Kamel Moussa to drive it back inside the post, before Owen Marron added the second.

Form Report
Jason Northey 7 Kevin Cunningham 7 Ian Harmon 8 Steve Grier 8 Tom O’Driscoll 6 Niall Hanratty 7 Stuart Love 7 Neil McGowan 7 Owen Marron 6 Naill Lennon 6 Cian Stenson 6
Subs: Kamel Moussa 7 Dave Browne 6 Mauro Segovia 6