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.
