Harbinson inspires Rovers victory

Roe Rovers2

ROE Rovers’ great run continued on Saturday in a crucial game for both sides.

The Limavady side suffered a late blow with the withdrawal of Barney Butcher but rallied to pull off a great result. The first half was a very scrappy affair.

The Roesiders drilled a couple of good balls across the face of the Claudy goal but no one was on hand to finish. Claudy came close but great cover on the line by Gavern Hassan denied the home side.

Roe Rovers almost suffered a big blow when keeper Ruari O’Brien dislocated his finger whilst saving a shot. The keeper cracked his finger back in and insisted on playing on, and for his rewards got the team’s first clean sheet of the season.

The moment of the match came when Paul Irwin won the ball at the back and found Timmy Douglas who dropped his pass in into the path of Chris Harbinson; he took the ball in his stride on the half way and with one touch took it round his marker. His second touch took it round the last defender and his third touch saw him fire a great finish past the keeper.

Harbinson was head and shoulders the best player on the day and it was just rewards for a great performance.

One up at the break and Roe Rovers needed a goal to put the game to bed, Danny Quinn twice came close and John Holmes narrowly missed in the opening minutes of the restart.

Gerry O’Kane replaced Quinn and his pace caused the pressing Claudy lots of problems on the break.

Claudy pushed men forward in search of the equaliser and pumped ball after ball into the Rovers defence but Hassan, Irwin and O’Kane dealt with everything.

McGonigle and Logue worked tirelessly. Timmy Douglas and O’Kane always threatened on the counter and Harbinson in midfield with Nicholl and Holmes broke up attacks.

Claudy had lots of the play and lots of balls into the box but Roe Rovers remained patient and waited for the breaks and always looked like they would score. Timmy Douglas and Gerry O’Kane linked up and Timmy notched the important second goal for an eight game unbeaten run.