Pender strike seals win over Longford

Bray Wanderers 1 (Pender 3m), Longford Town 0

Pre-season Friendly, AUL Complex, 27th January 2017.

Bray Wanderers got their pre-season campaign off to a winning start against Longford Town at the AUL Complex. The only goal of the game came after just three minutes when last season’s top scorer Ger Pender broke free of the Longford defence and lifted the ball over Skinner in the Longford goal.

Bray enjoyed the majority of possession in the early stages. Wanderers lost defender Conor Early to injury on 24 minutes. Early was replaced by former Ireland under 17 international Jamie Ahern. Dylan McCabe, on Longford’s left wing, was causing Wanderers problems and he almost scored when rounding Steacy but could only find the side netting. On 40 minutes Steacy was forced to block another effort from McCabe which resulted in the keeper requiring treatment.

On 54 minutes Peter Cherrie tipped over a long range shot on the Bray goal. Mid way through the half, Dylan Connolly tapped in from close range but the lineman’s offside flag ruled out the goal.

Bray Wanderers: (First Half): Lee Steacy, Calvin Rogers, Hugh Douglas, Tim Clancy, Conor Early, John Sullivan, Ryan Brennan, Keith Buckley, Jason Marks, Aaron Greene, Ger Perder. Sub Jamie Ahern for Early (23mins).

Bray Wanderers: (Second Half): Peter Cherrie, Dylan Hayes, Conor Kenna, Derek Foran, Kevin Lynch, Mark Salmon, Darragh Noone, Gary McCabe, Dylan Connolly, Karl Moore, Anthony Flood.

Longford Town: Paul skinner, Kealon Dillon, Tristan Noack Hofmann, Stephen Walsh, Kevin O’connor, Dean Zambra, Gavin Boyne, Davy O’Sullivan, Don Cowan, Dylan McGlade, Subs: Jack Brady, Daniel O’Reilly, enda Curran, Karl chambers, Ian Fletcher, Cody Mulhall, Dylan Lynch, Luke Darcy, Dan Beya, Aodh Dervin.

Subs: Curran for O’Sullivan (h/t), O’Reilly for Hoffman (h/t), Karl Chambers for Cowen, Mulhall for Boyne, Beye for McGlade, Fletcher for Walsh.