Spartak Dynamo FC

Spartak Dynamo 3 Peamount 1

An early second half flurry of activity saw three goals in a ten minute spell which turned the match.

Spartak started the game well, but were thwarted when Chris Hogan and Niall Hanratty both struck the woodwork with good efforts.  Adam Doran then got to the backline to beat the offside trap and his cross was not converted , despite the home side having men over in the box. Mike Hull departed with a hamstring strain and Glen Burke came on to add extra life to the attack. The quality of crosses and final pass was not up to standard despite the teritorial superiority  and, as often happens, the visitors scored with their first real attack when an ill advised Spartak offside trap was sprung by a deep runner who went on to finish.

A somewhat more composed Spartak began the second half and a fortuitous goal provided an equaliser. A free kick from deep inside the Spartak half was driven upfield by Doran and landed invitingly for Hanratty, all alone and 8 yards out. However he failed to make contact and the keeper allowed the ball to drift inside the far post.  A good cross by Hanratty resulted in a goalbound shot by Burke being handled on the line – red card and penalty against the visitors number 9! Burke’s effort was not well placed and the keeper blocked, however he tucked away the rebound. A third goal followed when Mouhad and Neill Bolger combined for Burke to finish. Mohad, on as sub , helped keep the flow of passes moving as Spartak looked to build on the lead. 

Spartak however seemed content and were fortunate when a Peamount header when left unattended was too close to Costello.

Mick Costello 6 Dave O Kelly 6 Adam Doran 6 Martin Costello 7 Mark Bolger 7 Chris Hogan 6 Niall Hanratty 6 Tom O Driscoll 7 Mick Hull 6 Neill Bolger 6 Dave Thomson 6

Subs Glen Burke 7 Ben Hafid Mouhad 7 David Agnew 6 Mick Greene not used Mick Plunkett – no show; Alan Cummins – no show

The refixed match , postponed from Thursday night, saw Spartak somewhat short of options. However some of the first team panel doubled up to help out and a decent side was fielded against a Ratoath team who were stronger than either of the opponents met so far.

Ratoath’s approach play was better generally and Spartak, particularly down the left, struggled to create. Distribution and combination by O’Kelly and Agnew was never effective and little threat was mounted. On the other side, some good work early on by Love, Doyle and Hanratty led to a couple of chances falling to Mick Hull, both of which were off target. Hull then turned provider, chasing a clearance and putting in a cross that proved just too high for Byrne.

The decisive goal came on 35 minutes when Ratoath attacked down our left and, after Mark Bolger had initially punched clear, the Ratoath player drilled home a crisp first time shot from the edge of the box.

 Mark Bolger pulled off a brilliant save early in the second half and Ratoath were also guilty of a glaring miss from close in.  

Spartak pushed on and the best chance came when Girel Nji chested on to Rob Deering whose shot thudded against the poast from 10 yards.

Ratoath were facing mounting pressure and had to clear off the line following a scramble from a Hanratty cross in the last minute to deny the home side a point, which on the balance of play would have been deserved.

Mark Bolger 7; Anto Doyle 6 Dave O Kelly 5 Martin Costello 7 Dave Browne 7 Ken Ward 7 Niall Hanratty 6 Stuart Love 6 Mick Hull 5 Ger Byrne 5 David Agnew 5

subs – Rob Deering 5 Girel Nji 5 Chris Hogan 5 Hafid Mouhad not used. Dave Thomson no show.

I hope you have had good practice to date on the Fantasy Football and I know the score predictions.

For the month of September, the club will be awarding a prize of €50 each  for the winners for the month of both I Know the score and Fantasy Football.

To be eligible to win you must be up to date with weekly subs and have paid at least half annual sub (its all due by October).  Best of luck!!!!

Links on the right

Fantasy football league code is 1062863-210098

I know the score league is FC7E5-BKQ

Some lads have enquired as to the cost of running the club and where do subs go.

Here is a summary.

Costs

Training – Astro/Indoor etc   €4800; League Fees and registrations €1500 Marlay €980 Footballs €300 Medical €200 Kit/training equip €500 Player of the year trophies €300

That’s a total cost of €8580 to run the club for a season.

Income:

Weekly subs (net of laundry and ref) for 3 teams for 20 games each should bring in around €4000 and annual subs around another €2000.

That leaves a shortfall of about €2580. This has to be met by sponsorship, Christmas draw, Quiz nights etc.

So we need a good attendance and effort for the quiz night on 8th October for a start……

Spartak failed to take advantage of early supremacy and missed gilt edged chances early on , only to pay the ultimate penalty.

Steve Browne failed to use a two on one situation to Spartak’s advantage and was forced wide by the defender and shot weakly. Agnew, slipped through by Browne, sidefooted  a timid effort straight to the keeper and then headed over from Bolger’s cross.

Swords were given hope when a cross drifted in at the far post to give them the lead against the run of play. A fortuitous goal by Browne, after a mix up by the visting defence, got Spartak back into the game, but  a lapse in concentration and filure to close out tackles led to Swords finishing rather too easily in a one on one with  Mick Costello.

Early in the second half a bizarre incident involving a lapse of concentration by captain for the day Bolger when first he stopped and then  recovered but sent Swords on the attack with an off target back pass. They duly capitalised. 1-3. Mick Costello then saved a one on one with his feet.

A raft of substitutions gave Spartak some impetus and they forced at least ten second half corners. All of these were well delivered by O’Driscoll but Spartak lacked the necessary ability in the air to capitalise. Only Kelly , who headed over, and Costello who headed wide, were able to connect.

With Swords repeatedly fouling to stem the tide, the ref let things slightly out of hand, choosing to lecture rather than show cards.  Indeed one yellow card lecture to Swords lasted all of three minutes! Swords were reduced to ten men with 20 minutes to go, and O’Driscoll reduced arrears with a crisp shot.

In the 95th minute, an effort by Hull, who gathered and ran through but thundred against the bar, was the last chance of salvaging a point.

Comments by Browne to the referee after the final whistle saw him see red for the second time this season. 

Mick costello 5 Dave O Kelly 6 Martin Costello 7 Cathal Clancy 7 Rob Deering 4 Hafid Mouhad 4 Neill Bolger 4 Tom O Driscoll 6 Dave Thomson 7 David Agnew 4 Steve Browne 4.  Subs Mick Hull 5 Ross Kelly 5 Niall Hanratty 5.

From Tuedsay next, 1st September, training on tuesday and thursday at St Enda’s , Grange Road at 7pm.

Astro training will commence mid September.

A great start to the second team’s season on Saturday, with a 4-1 win not fully reflecting the home team’s level of supremacy. A soft late goal conceded, coupled with some glaring misses at the other end kept the scoreline closer than the game warranted.

Spartak began well and some strong defensive work and quick thinking early passes gave the front two plenty of the ball early on.  This supply continued throughout the game with some clever prompting from the midfield. Dave Thomson thudded a shot against the woodwork afte 15 minutes, however it was Tom O’Driscoll, cutting in from the right, who unleashed a shot from more than 20 yards to the top corner to break the deadlock in spectacular fashion. Steve Browne then sprung the offside trap, drew the keeper and squared to give Dave Agnew a simple task to tap into the open goal from 8 yards .

Things took a nasty turn in the second half when following a tackle by Dave Thomson he was punched and spat on by an opponent. The tackle was not a bad one and the reaction was unbelievable. Unfortunately Shane McInerney ran to get involved in the punch up and was red carded along with the Phoenix player. The Phoenix goalkeeper later inexplicably punched Dave Thomson and was also red carded, so the game finished 10 v 9. Further goals were added by Steve Browne , the first a fine finish from a clever kick out by Mick costello, and the second following good work by substitute Hafid Mouhad (Ben). A number of chances went abegging with Agnew and Browne missing open goals and Ben hitting the bar with a header. The late concession of a consolation goal to Phoenix was the only blot on a very good defensive performance, with Martin Costello giving a man of the match performance.

Its the biggest win for a while; clinical finishing could have widened the margin considerably.

Mick Costello 6 Dave O Kelly 8 Martin Costello 9 Cathal Clancy 7 Rob Deering 7 Tom O Driscoll 7 Shane McInerney 4 Neill Bolger 7 Dave Thomson 7 David Agnew 6 Steve Browne 8 Mick Hull 5 Hafid Mouhada 6 Mick Plunkett 5.

Result

Match commentary

Team, scorers etc