Leaders’ defeat opens up title race
HAZEL LANE UNITED ALBION ROVERS 3 2
ALBION Rovers suffered their first loss since Pat Mohan took over as manager as Hazel Lane re-ignited the title race in Division 2.
It was the visitors who got off to the perfect start when they took the lead through Luca Marsella after only 10 minutes.
That advantage didn’t last long as Evan Corlett raced onto a short back pass and as he rounded the keeper to tap into an empty net the Hazel Lane keeper took the Albion front man down. Corlett stepped up to convert the resulting spot kick.
Moments later Corlett found himself one-on-one with the keeper once more, but this time Carolan parried the shot wide of the goal.
Albion then had an effort cleared off the line when captain Helder Mota rose highest from a Helder Goncalves corner but was denied by some heroics from Johnny Lynch for Hazel Lane.
Just on the stroke of half-time Corlett had a rare headed effort go wide of the upright as he just couldn’t get enough on the ball to direct it towards goal.
Hazel Lane took the lead for a second time in the 50th minute when Marsella reacted quickest to finished under Niall McDonnell in the Albion goal from close range.
Albion once again pegged Hazel Lane back when a great tackle from Steo Martin led to the breaking ball falling kindly for Corlett out wide. His subsequent delivery from the right was met by Adam Gartland whose shot hit a Hazel Lane player on the way into the net.
At this stage it looked as if the momentium had swung in Albion’s favour, with a few chances falling to Corlett and Doherty, but unfortunately neither could make the chances count.
Hazel Lane got the deciding goal 15 minutes from the end when Jason Reynolds stuck out a leg to beat the oncoming McDonnell to the ball.
Albion had a couple of half chances after that and were unlucky not to level when Corlett’s volley went inches over the bar in the final seconds.
Best for Albion were Danny Starrs, Evan Corlett, Adam Gartland and Dylan Kirwan. ALBION ROVERS: N McDonnell, K Harding, J Walsh, H Mota, D Starrs, D Kirwan, S Kelly, S Martin, H Goncalves, E Corlett, A Gartland, D Smith, C McQuillan, G Maher, L Dvarionas, T Kavanagh, R Kinch, S Martin, S Doherty.