Bessbrook better Rovers
Tuesday, 12 February 2013
Bessbrook united 4 Crieve rovers 2.
BESSBROOK deservedly claimed all three points when they came from behind to overcome Crieve Rovers.
Conditions were far from ideal for this league fixture but both teams produced a great game of football on a very heavy Orior Park pitch.
As early as the first minute Bessbrook should have taken the lead when Philly Hughes swept past his marker but his shot was just inches wide of the goal.
Moments later Anthony Bennett should have scored from a PJ Quigley corner but his close range header also soared wide of the target.
Bessbrook continued to press with great intensity and on 11 minutes they very nearly went ahead when a cross from Quigley crashed off the inside of the post before falling to Danny Cinnamond whose goal-mouth effort was brilliantly blocked.
Crieve did well to repel this early bombardment and on 20 minutes they nearly took the lead when a thunderous free kick from Chris McMahon was brilliantly tipped over by Conor Ruddy.
There was hardly time to draw breath when Bessbrook' s PJ Quigley cut in from the right and let loose with a wicked shot that was unbelievably parried away by Damian Coffey in the Crieve goal. Bessbrook were made to rue their earlier misses when Crieve took the lead on 38 minutes through Darren Bannon, who easily waltzed past the Bessbrook defence to coolly slot the ball past Ruddy.
The home side huffed and puffed until to the interval but they couldn't penetrate a very resolute Crieve defence.
After the break Bessbrook came flying out of the traps to produce a spectacular goal, which began in defence. Philly Hughes ended up applying the finishing touches with clinical precision.
This gave Bessbrook the impetus they needed and on 58 minutes they took the lead when Ben Treanor eventually forced a PJ Quigley corner over the line.
It looked like plain sailing for United from that point but the resilient Crieve team weathered the storm and gradually started to dictate the game, forcing Bessbrook back into their own half.
After a spell of dominance they equalised when Bannon calmly rounded the keeper to tap the ball home.
It was anybody's game at that stage with time running out but once again it was the goal machine Philip Hughes who was in the right spot to put the Villagers ahead despite frantic appeals from Crieve for offside.
Philly Hughes ensured that the game was over as a contest when he rammed home a penalty to complete his hat-trick.
BESSBROOK UNITED: Conor Ruddy, Danny Cinnamond, Anthony Bennett, Bryan Ferguson, Shaun Cinnamond, PJ Quigley, Peter Murphy, Ben Treanor, Steven Matthews, Philly Hughes, Carl McVerry.
CRIEVE ROVERS: Damian Coffey, Ruari McLoughlin, Glenn Rice, Brendan Mcfee, Stephen McLoughlin, Charlie Broughton, Michael Boyle, Niall Young, Damian Bannon,
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