Bay make a point in top-of-table clash
VIRGINIA CELTIC 2 BAY FC 2
IT’S as you where with Virginia holding onto top spot and Bay right on their tails in division three of the North East League.
Virginia hold a four point lead but Bay have two games in hand and perhaps will be the happier of the two unbeaten sides, although they lost their perfect start with full points from their first three games.
Virginia opened the scoring when they won possession in mid-field and played a great pass through the Bay defence for their striker to slot the ball first time to the net from ten yards.
Bay quickly equalised. Mark Larkin turned their wing back inside out before delivering a pinpoint cross to Anton Webb and the striker made no mistake, heading home from a few yards.
Two minutes later Bay turned the tables right round by going ahead. A mix-up in the home defence presented the ball to Danny Berry and he finished from 18 yards with the advancing goalkeeper stranded.
Virginia applied pressure which paid off shortly after with their striker scoring from close range with only 20 minutes elapsed.
That’s how the score stayed at the break, but Virginia came out with real intent in the second-half and tested the Bay defence to the fullest in the first 20 minutes with makeshift centre-half Mario Kolak cleaning up everything in the air and Ruddy, McGuinness and Rafferty dominating in their positions.
The final 25 minutes Bay laid siege to the Virginia goal, and Berry and Webb came ever so close to scoring with efforts just past the post, while Larkin smashed a shot off the home crossbar.
Robbie Murphy and Kolak also were within inches of snatching all three points in the dying minutes. BAY: Kevin Mullen, Robbie Rafferty, Stephen McGuinness, Derek Ruddy, Mario Kolak, Kevin Scollon (Ciaran Murphy 65), Daniel Berry (Josh Larkin 85), Mark Larkin, Neven Novosel, Anton Webb, Damien Bailey (Robbie Murphy 55).