Luckless Albion lose to leaders

ALBION Rovers felt hard done by for not taking something from this extremely entertaining clash at Muirdeach’s Park.

The Monasterboice hosts dominated from the off with free-flowing football, and perhaps Parkvilla thought it would be a walk in the park after beating Albion 6-2 in pre-season.

Albion took the lead mid-way through the first half when captain Helder Mota headed home from a Niall Smyth corner and Evan Corlett was then foiled by an excellent save from the Parkvilla keeper.

Just before half-time Parkvilla half-cleared a corner and as they pushed out Mota played a through-ball to Ian Cusack who finished low to the net, only for ref Pat Henry to signal offside.

ALBION ROVERS PARKVILLA 1 2

The second half started with Albion on the front foot. Smyth got on the end of a Jack Reynolds pass, rounded the keeper and shot for goal, but the ball hit the post. Parkvilla then got a massive stroke of luck when Lars Ivers hit a tame 30-yard shot which was easily gathered by keeper Mickey Mullen. However, on hitting the ground he popped his shoulder and spilled the ball into the path of Dylan Regan who made it 1-1.

Albion nearly regained the lead when Austin McCann unleahed a superb free kick from 25 yards, only for the Parkvilla keeper to tip the ball onto the bar at full stretch.

In the last minute of normal time Albion had another chance from a corner, but Cusack’s shot was blocked. There was heartbreak nine minutes into injury time, however, when Parkvilla broke the offside trap and although substitute keeper Daire Moore made a fine save the rebound fell to a Parkvilla player who crossed for a tap-in goal.

Albion forced a corner in the final seconds, from which Gary Maher picked out Cusack again, but he headed straight at the keeper from six yards.

ALBION ROVERS: M Mullen (D Moore), K Harding, B McKenna (K Kelly), H Mota, E McDonnell, J Reynolds, S Kelly, A McCann, E Corlett, N Smyth (G Maher), I Cusack.