Spartak Dynamo FC

Spartak 3 Mourne 2

When Mourne equalised on 88 minutes it looked very much  as if Spartak’s promotion challenge was over. However, digging into reserves of resilience, Spartak found a way to win the game with Ger Byrne heading in on 90 + 4 minutes.

Mourne started the better and settled into a passing pattern which Spartak struggled to replicate, and Spartak endured a couple of hairy moments when they were lucky not to concede.

Spartak created some chances and Ger Byrne shot over from close in, while Glen Burke had an effort cleared off the line. Spartak were grateful to Dave Browne’s great block when a score looked imminent.

On 35 minutes a Graham Breen flick on was touched home by Stuart Love. The lead did not last long and the vistors equalised on 41 minutes when Dave Browne fluffed a clearance and the ball ran through to a clearly offside Mourne player to equalise. With the referee displaying a somewhat eccentric interpretation of the offside law, Spartak were forced to play deep and a lot of pressure was placed on the midfield.

Spartak needed a boost and the introduction of substitutes Anto Doyle and Neil McGowan coincided with some improved passing and Breen had a header cleared off the line from Burke’s corner. Burke then shot over when well placed after good work by Byrne.

On 64 minutes, a towering header from Breen went in off the post to give the home side a deserved lead.  Some bad fouls by the visitors went unpunished and a blatant stamp on Byrne attracted only a yellow card. Breen had to be replaced after taking a battering  and Dave O’Kelly, making his first team debut, lent a lot of energy to the cause. 

As Mourne pressed Peter O’Toole made a good save and Rob Mahon kicked off the line. But on 88 minutes a half cleared corner was met by a visiting defender who cracked a shot that O’Toole tipped brilliantly onto the bar. Alex Kenny blocked the second effort from the rebound but the no 2 then drilled in.

Spartak rallied, however,  and were rewarded when Byrne scored with a rare header to keep the race alive.

 Form Report

Peter O’Toole 7 Dave Browne 6 Rob Mahon 6 Steve Grier 7 Alex Kenny 7 Kevin O’Toole 6 Will O’Connell 6 Glen Burke 6 Ger Byrne 7 Graham Breen 7 Stuart Love 5.

Subs Anto Doyle 7 Neil McGowan 7 Dave O’Kelly 7 Mick Greene.  Graham Mc Enroe no show.

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