Bray Wanderers 2 Treaty United 2
Bray’s SSE Airtricity First Division play-off hopes suffered a blow as Treaty grabbed a 94th minute equaliser.
Jake Walker’s first goals for Wanderers saw them come from 1-0 down to lead 2-1 with two goals in four minutes at a rain drenched Carlisle Grounds (whose surface once again stood up to the tough, wet conditions).
A single point separated the clubs before kick-off. It stayed that way in match full of chances at either end when Walsh headed in Marc Ludden’s free-kick four minutes into stoppage time to make it 2-2.
With the visitors leading 1-0 at the break, the Seagulls brought on Walker in the 63rd minute along with Conor Davis. The duo worked the trick in the 73rd minute.
Davis gathered skipper Darren Craven’s pass and lofted a ball over the away defence for Walker to latch onto. And he side footed low past Corey Chambers.
Then in the 76th minute, Craven headed forward. Yoyo Mahdy’s clever back-hell released Walker to again to beat the offside. He steadied then placed a low finish from 15-yards to the bottom right corner of the net.
From their defeat last week to Galway, striker Chris Lyons replaced veteran defender Dane Massey in the only change for Wanderers.
On the bench, Davis was included amongst the substitutes.
As for the Limerick outfit, they made five changes to the team defeated by Wexford last week.
With United’s record scorer Enda Curran out injured, Success Edogun took his chance in the 12th minute.
From Chambers’ clearance, there was a bout of head tennis.
Edogun controlled a high ball and span off his marker to hit a 30-yard shot that dropped just under the crossbar.
The Green and White’s responded with Mahdy flashing wide from 20-yards in the 22nd minute. Lyons did like wise four minutes later.
In the 29th minute, Matt Connor tipped William Armshaw’s curling effort around his upright.
Moments later on the half hour, Edogun turned his marker in the box to shoot. Connor made a save with the covering Seán Quinn diverting onto the before the Seagulls cleared the danger.
The Wicklow club went close to an equaliser when the covering Andrew Spain cleared Lyons’ 39th minute header off the line.
Less than 60 seconds later, Mahdy get in off the right channel. But Chambers made a fine block save.
Bray went close again when Chambers denied home captain Craven in the 51st minute off Lyon’s lay-off.
United sub Dean George glanced Ludden’s corner wide of the back stick with a glancing header on 61.
In the 86th minute, Connor got down well to parry out Treaty sub Fionn Doherty’s low close range drive.
Bray Wanderers: Matt Connor; Max Murphy, Cole Omorehiomwan, Seán Quinn, Len O’Sullivan; Harry Groome, Darren Craven, Guillermo Almirall (Conor Davis 63); Callum Thompson (Conor Crowley 79), Chris Lyons (Jake Walker 63), Yoyo Mahdy (Dane Massey 87).
Subs not used: Jack Hudson, Conor Knight, Daniel Chukwu, Thomas Morgan, Alex Moody.
Booked: Almirall 19, Mahdy 74.
Treaty United: Corey Chambers; Ben O’Riordan, Andrew Spain, Mark Walsh, Marc Ludden; Colin Conroy (Fionn Doherty 84); Adam Lennon (Dean George 57), Scott Kirkland, Conor Barry, William Armshaw (Dean O’Shea 57); Success Edogun (Stephen Christopher 67).
Subs not used: Darren Nwankwo, Robbie Lynch, Conor Winn
Booked: Walsh 74.
Referee: Chris Sheehan (Cork).
Mint+ Man of the Match: Jake Walker.
Pictures: Dermot O’Brien.