Five-star Ward gives Rock welcome relief

ROCK CELTIC 5 ENFIELD 3 STILL seeking a win in the league this was a welcome boost for Rock against the division one leaders who could easily replace them in the top flight next season.

But after a flying start taking the lead after four minutes a dazzling five star display by experienced striker David Ward, who bagged all of his side’s five goals, thought to be his biggest haul for the Seasiders in a single game, put them through to the next round of the Tully bookmakers cup on Friday night.

They couldn’t have been more timely either, with goals a difficult commodity to come by in a very trying time all round for Celtic, and the ominous start could have been worst as Enfield missed a glorious chance to go two goals ahead.

Had they managed to convert the opening it might been an entirely different game. They also struck the home cross bar. Had either gone into the Rock net and with morale low would Rock have been able to turn things round?

As it transpired Ward rekindled the sort of artistry and instinctive finishing that singled him out as a highly promising prospect in the League of Ireland. Each of his goals was a gem in its own right, although there was a question mark over whether the Enfield goalkeeper should have stopped a couple of them s.

The first was a delightful creative piece of play with the ball worked to Glen Trainor on the right wing. He outpaced the fullback to turn the ball inside to Ward who with time and space in front of goal slid it to the net after 24 minutes.

His second on 34 minutes resulted from a sweeping move initiated by Trainor with a long pass down the wing from deep inside his half for Dessie McKeown to skip past the full-back again and Ward hit a cracking first time shot that curled away from the goalkeeper from inside the penalty box.

He then linked up with Derek Delany to fire the latter’s return pass with his left foot into the bottom corner where the goalkeeper got across but couldn’t keep it out and made an even more feeble attempt a few minutes later when Delany chested the ball to Ward to let fly with his left foot into the other bottom corner with less venom.

Rock were far from complaining, having turned a deficit into a 4-1 lead at the break, but a combination of perhaps complacency and tiring players allowed Enfield to close the gap to the bare minimum, scoring twice, and 19 minutes still to play.

Delany and the hard working Dessie McKeown in turn had the opportunity to halt the Enfield fightback with the score at 4-2, but Ward the hero was the man for the occasion, settling Rock nerves and sealed victory with an another brilliant piece of play.

A lovely sleight of foot opened up space in the box deceiving a number of defenders to apply a sure finish low into the corner of the net with 11 minutes left. ROCK: Paul Scanlon, Chris Berrills, Murbarack (Andrew Kieran 79), Paddy Reilly Paddy Connor, Phelim Joyce inj (Kitzito 45) Ed Maguire, David Ward, Glen Trainor, Derek Delany (Oisin Meegan 89) Dessie McKeown.