18 weeks had passed since the drama of our final league game of the 2010-11 season but if the curtain raiser to the new campaign is anything to go by it looks set to be another rollercoaster of a ride so get the seatbelts well & truly fastened.
Dunnies had a much stronger side than the one we beat comfortably both home & away last season and they were proving to be a tough nut to crack. We defended well as a unit and got the break through bang on half time when new signing Anthony Hannon picked the ball up and unleashed a long range strike which was too powerful for the keeper who coudn't prevent the ball from crossing the line. Half time (0-1)
The message at half time was to improve on the passing and to attack down the flanks, Steven Hargreaves in particular stepped it up a gear and on 65 minutes put in a superb cross which was met by the head of John Marsh who's effort rebounded off the crossbar, the ball then fell to Liam Geordeson who's half volley deflected in to double our lead. The game should have been dead & buried when both Andrew Evans & substitute Ian Jordan were each both guilty of missing absolute sitters, by this time next week Ian will have probably ran out of excuses as to how he didn't put the ball in the empty net from all of 4 yards. Them failed chances were to prove costly as 2 goals in 3 minutes from the home side drew them level as the game entered an outrageous last 10 minutes in what was like a scene from Rocky with blows being exchanged one after another. Hargreaves again looked at being our best hope of getting back in front as he had the left back run raggered & when he slid Hannon in on 85 minutes with a sublime pass you almost expected the net to bulge unfortunately his shot was struck straight at the keeper. It was Dunnies who struck again on 88 minutes but controversially as the referee could have had his pick of atleast 2 who were clearly offside, that decision however was reverted just 40 seconds later when Hargreaves again crossed and Ian Jordan hooked the ball past the keeper who may have had a case when he alleged to be fouled in a crowded goal mouth scramble. The reply from Dunnies came direct from the kick off when Phil Founds was caught napping by a Xabi Alonso esque effort that flew over him into the net surely that was us done but when Jordan capitalised from a goalkeeping error down the other end to this time side foot in between the white sticks we had turned the screw the other way and looked to have rescued a point. An injury to Paul Langley meant 4 minutes of added time and once again concentration was our downfall as we conceeded a 5th goal in the 93rd minute which was the knockout blow. The task now must be to regroup & start again on Tuesday night at Thomas Lane when we'll come up against a side we put to the sword last season, however after todays result that stands for absolutely nothing.
Man of the match: Steven Hargreaves took a while to get going but was a constant threat in the 2nd half.
Subs not used: Neil Hunter, Shaun Kent
Next up: vs Mersey Harps (a) Tuesday 6:15pm
