Slane take revenge on title favourites

Lisnastraine 1

MONEYSLANE first team entertained League title favourites, Lisnastraine at home on Saturday with both teams needing to win to push for top spot in the league.

The visitors beat Slane in the last game of the season last year and revenge was deep in the minds of the Slane players.

The game got of to an unbelievable start for Moneyslane when they were awarded a throw up the left, Sterritt launched it into the box where Mark Anderson latched onto the loose ball and hammered it into the net after just 47 seconds to but the one hundred plus Slane supporters up the line into wild raptures.

The home side were up for this game after last week's shock defeat and pushed the visitors deep into their own half, Sterritt hit wide and Ervine made the young Straine keeper work hard to produce a good save.

Neville Gibbons floated a free kick into the forward line and Andy Rowan flicked onto Sterritt who hit well but again the keeper pulled off a finger tip save to push it around the post.

Anderson shot over and up the other end the Straine striker brought Gary Bickerstaff into action with a fine save.

Ervine floated over a free kick that was met by the big strong Rowan who headed just over. On the half hour the visitors hit just wide of the post from a well worked corner.

Thomas McCann and Neill Bingham were working their socks off in mid-field firing in tackle after tackle and working back at great speed.

McCann played a delightful ball into the path of Sterritt who was upended in the box and he stepped up and hammered the spot kick into the bottom corner for the second goal of the game and put Slane firmly into the driving seat.

Slane started strongly in the second half closing down the opposition every time they had the ball. Bingham passed to McCann who played a one two with Ervine and McCann slipped the ball wide to Sterritt who neatly rounded his marker, raced through on goal and side footed wide of the advancing keeper and inside the post.

McCahon and Boyd were solid at wing backs and Gibbons and Wilson were hitting hard in the tackles and winning the aerial balls.

Slane let their concentration slip and let the Straine striker in for a well taken goal to give them a glimmer of hope.

Kyle Scott replaced the hard working Sterritt and Jason Niblock replaced Mark Anderson as the manger put fresh legs onto the heavy pitch.

Rowan and Bingham were throwing themselves into some hard hitting tackles in midfield as the game intensified and both teams were trying to find a way through two solid defences.

Chris McConville replaced Bingham who had a great game and gave his all and Slane pushed the visitors deep into their own half.

Scott chested the ball down and played a great through ball to Niblock who raced through two hard challenges and hammered past the helpless keeper to put the game to bed for Slane.

Rowan hit a free kick just wide from forty yards out and Niblock backheeled just wide of the post as Slane romped home in great fashion.

Best for Slane on the day was Thomas McCann who had his best performance of the season so far.

Team: G Bickerstaff, N Wilson, N Gibbons, W McCahon, D Boyd, M Anderson, N Bingham, A Rowan, M Ervine, C Sterritt, T McCann, J Niblock, K Scott, C McConville.