Bray Wanderers 3 Athlone Town 1
Carlisle Grounds, First Division, 7 September 2020
Bray Wanderers moved into second place in the First division level on points with Drogheda United after they came from behind to defeat bottom of the table Athlone Town. Wanderers have now extended their current unbeaten home league run to eleven games.
Wanderers made one change to the starting team from Friday’s win over Cabinteely FC. Jack Watson replaced Sean McEvoy in midfield. Bray started on top and John Ross Wilson fired just wide on 7 minutes. Dylan Barnett drove a low ball across the goal on 12 minutes which just evaded the inrushing Jack Watson.
Athlone belied their position at the bottom of the table and put in a decent performance. They took the lead against the run of play on 19 minutes. Adam Lennon found himself clear on a through ball and he slotted past the advancing Maher. This was the first goal Wanderers had conceded in their six home league games this season.
Wanderers were level in the 33rd minute following a cleverly worked corner. Thompson played a short pass to Barnett who set up Ryan Graydon on the edge of the area and he fired to the net past a crowded area. The home side went ahead on 36 minutes when Dylan Barnett got in on the left and his shot took a slight nick off Lennon before going in off the post.
Two minutes after the re-start, Adam Lennon cut in from the right and fired over the Bray crossbar. The home side had a let off on 67 minutes when David Brookes fired across the face of the Bray goal. Wanderers sealed the win on 74 minutes. John Ross Wilson’s throw in on the right found Callum Thompson and he half volleyed with his left foot to the net giving Myles no chance.
Bray Wanderers: 25 Brian Maher, 2 John Ross Wilson, 3 Dylan Barnett, 4 Killian Cantwell, 14 Tristan Noack Hoffman, 7 Ryan Graydon, 8 Callum Thompson, 11 Derek Daly, 12 Jack Watson, 17 Luka Lovic, 18 Sean McEvoy, 10 Gary Shaw. Substitutes; 30 Enda Minogue (Gk), 5 Aaron Barry (for Daly, 56), 17 Darragh Lynch (for Hoffman, 78), 18 Sean McEvoy (for Watson, 56), 20 Don Franklin Ogbeifun, Cian Maher (for Thompson, 88).
Booked: McEvoy (70)
Athlone Town: 1 Aaron Myles; 2 David Brookes, 5 Scott Delaney, 19 Tumelo Tlou, 26 Mark Birrane, 10 Taner Arman Dougan, 16 Ciaran Grogan, 12 Adam Lennon, 8 Dean George, 9 Ronan Manning, 21 Jack Reynolds
Subs: 3 Evan White, 4 Evan O’Connor, 17 John Morgan, 20 Bradley Okaidja, 25 Jordan Carr, 28 Jordan Carroll, 30 Darcy Lawless (gk)
Booked: Aeman Dougan (15), Birrane (41)
Referee: Ben Connolly
Match Report: Michael Duffy
Photos: Peter Minogue