Athlone Town produced a stirring fightback against Home Farm Fingal to take the points in a dramatic game at Whitehall last Tuesday night.
Two late goals from Andy Myler and Stephen Mullan gave Athlone a deserved victory against ten man Farm. The victory actually put Liam Buckley's team top of the First Division for the first time since 1994, albeit for just 24 hours.
Town's Captain Back
Athlone Town made just one change from the side which drew with Sligo Rovers five days previous. Skipper, Conor Frawley was back from suspension at the heart of the back four. Gary McCormack, who made his debut at centre back against Sligo, was injured. Jan Fitzell retained his place beside Frawley. Tommy Hewitt kept his place in the front line, with Richie Parsons and Stephen Mullan both waiting on the bench to get their chances, which they did in the end.
Also, Adrian Carbery was serving the second game of a two match suspension. Home Farm missed experienced centre-half, Paul Whelan through injury.
Farm Go Down To Ten Men
The opening half hour saw Athlone have most of the possession, noticeably insisting on playing the passing game. Stuart Connolly went close from 23 yards with a good drive in the 16th minute, but the best chance of the opening twenty minutes fell to Farm's Cormac Malone. His rifled shot from 20 yards flew inches wide with Gary Connaughton at full length. Then on 30 minutes the game changed dramatically.
Home Farm's Paul Crowley inexplicably lunged at Alan Kelly in midfield, resulting in a deserved straight red card.
Three minutes later, Town almost went in front. Andy Myler muscled his way past two defenders. The big striker knocked his effort just wide of the left post, when his first goal in Town's colours looked like arriving. He would have his say later.
Aaron Lynch pounced on a loose ball for Home Farm in the 34th minute but Gary Connaughton palmed his shot away to safety. A defensive mix up in the 42st minute almost resulted in Athlone earning a freak lead. Thomas McGauley knocked the ball past his own keeper, Paul Whelan from the edge of the box but the keeper rushed backwards to hack the ball off the line.
On the strole of half time, Athlone had the ball in the net, when Myler knocked down for Tommy Hewitt to slot home. However, Hewitt was rightly adjudged to be offside.
Town Go For Breakthrough
Athlone had most of the possession in the first half and the second period started the same. Stuart Connolly burst into the box in the 53rd minute but he drove his shot wide of Paul Whelan's right upright. Liam Buckley made switches at the break. Stephen Mullan replaced Chris Malone. John Butler dropped to right back, Hewitt went wide and Mullan partnered Myler.
The home side almost grabbed the lead against the run of play in the 57th minute. Aaron Lynch drove a speculative effort at goal from 25 yards, which Connaughton had to tip over the crossbar. Athlone then took control for the next 20 minutes. Andy Myler almost latched onto a long Keith O'Brien pass after 68 minutes but Whelan just got there before the Town striker. Farm's keeper palmed away another Myler effort two minutes later, before Stuart Connolly clipped a free kick inches over the crossbar from the edge of the box.
Farm Go In Front
To the shock of most in the ground, Home Farm went in front in the 73rd minute. Aaron Lynch went down in the box, surrounded by a couple of Athlone defenders, and a very dubious penalty was awarded. Up stepped Lynch, who sent Connaughton the wrong way to put Home Farm in front. Athlone responded by bringing on Richie Parsons for Tommy Hewitt. However, in the 81st minute, Athlone had reason to panic. Conor Frawley's backpass was miscontrolled by Connaughton and in rushed Robert O'Neill. Brilliant defending by Jan Fitzell was all that denied the Farm striker, who should have buried his chance.
However, Athlone got what they really deserved in the 85th minute in the shape of an equaliser. Richie Parsons did well to lay the ball off to the onrushing Myler. Myler, on the run, was clearly taken down by Liam Kane inside the box. Last season's top scorer picked himself up and calmly slotted the ball past Whelan from 12 yards. It was crucial for the Town that Myler got off the mark early in his Athlone career, and he has done just that. Stephen Mullan showed his threat on 87 minutes by testing Paul Whelan but nobody could have predicted what was to come.
In injury time, Alan Clarke, who came on for Andy Myler in the last minute, flicked on a long ball. From nowhere, Stephen Mullan arrived on the scene and curled a beautiful winner past the backpedalling Whelan from 25 yards.
The victory left Athlone with a comfortable four points from their opening two encounters. It took Athlone until October to accumulate such a points tally last season. |
