Town turn on style
Impressive second-half display earns Arklow first win
ARKLOW TOWN AUGHRIM RANGERS 4 1
ARKLOW TOWN got their first win of the season with an impressive second-half performance against Aughrim Rangers.
It was Arklow Town’s second outing against Aughrim within a week as they faced off again under the floodlights at Bridgewater Centre Park on Friday evening.
Both sides didn’t make a great start to the game as both sets of players couldn’t gain possession of the ball for much longer than a minute.
There was some sloppy passes in the first ten minutes and it took a while for either side to get into the game.
Aughrim had an excellent chance to open the scoring on the 18th minute through attacker Frank Byrne.
Byrne had made a great run from the halfway line towards goal after being played in by Dan O’Hare, Byrne had seen that Arklow goalkeeper Will Horseman was off his line and chipped the netminder.
The ball looked to be creeping over the line but Horseman managed to get back to his line and smother the ball before it had crossed the line.
Arklow Town began to work their way into the game as the midfield partnership of Conor Dodd and John Kearon started to run the show.
Kearon had a great chance on the 25th minute when he went one on one with Aughrim keeper Cillian Donegan, but Kearon’s shot was well saved by Donegan to keep the score at 0-0.
Town broke the deadlock just before the half hour mark through striker Joe Ledwith.
The home side got a corner on the 29th minute and Ledwith was unmarked in the penalty area and gave his side a one goal lead before half-time.
Ledwith should have been awarded a penalty moments later when the striker went on a great run into the penalty area before being taken down by a Rangers defender as he cut inside on his left foot.
The home side were dealt a huge blow just on the strike of half-time as their midfielder John Kearon suffered an ankle injury and had to be substituted as he could not continue, Kearon was replaced by Dillion Mordaunt.
Rangers came out strong in the second-half as they took the game to their opponents, again and again they played long balls over the Arklow defence looking for striker Dan O’Hare.
O’Hare grabbed a goal back for his side on the 53rd minute to being the game to 1-1.
The striker went on a darting run down the right wing after a long ball over the top, O’Hare beat three Arklow defenders before slotting the ball into the bottom corner, a great run by the striker with an even better finish. It was all square again with the score at 1-1 in the 54th minute.
Arklow began to throw everything they had at their opponents as they did not want to settle for another draw with Aughrim like they had in the previous game last week. Cracks began to show in the Aughrim defence as Joe Ledwith and Dean Doyle were threatening the Rangers goal.
The home side finally got their reward for their dominant possession on the 77th minute through defender Ed Dunne.
Dunne regained possession for his side on the left wing after he prevented another Aughrim counter attack, Dunne then made a run into the centre of midfield before firing a low powerful shot that went through the legs of an Aughrim defender giving the keeper no chance as it flew into the bottom corner, an excellent strike by Dunne to give his side the lead.
Two late goals from Joe Ledwith and Dillion Mordaunt finalised the three points for the home side.
Mordaunt had been causing trouble for Rangers in the second half, his shot on the 86th minute was saved by Donegan but he could only parry the ball out to Ledwith who had an easy tap in to give his side a two-goal lead.
Mordaunt then got on the score sheet himself after his long-range effort was poorly dealt with by the Rangers keeper as the ball crept into the net on the 90th minute.
It was a nervy first half hour for the home side but their second half performance secured the full three points.
Arklow Town will hope to continue this kind of performance in their next game as they were tipped to be favourites for the division at the beginning of the season.
1. Will Horseman, 2. Alan Werder, 3. Kyle Dowling, 4. Craig Snell, 5. Ed Dunne, 6. John Kearon,
7. Paul Kelty, 8. Conor Dodd, 9. Dean Doyle, 10. Peter Walker, 11. Joe Ledwith. Subs: Dillion Mordaunt for John Kearon (25min), Oran Walker for Paul Kelty (63min)
1. Cillian Donegan, 2. Aaron Doyle, 3. John Annsley, 4. Mick Brennan, 5. Pierce Lawlor, 6. Eoin Forsyth, 7. Luke Brown, 8. Paul Lacey,
9. Shane O’ Keefe, 10. Dan O’ Hare, 11. Frank Byrne. Subs: Jordan Quigley for Luke Brown (68th min), Jack Healy for Paul Lacey (68th min).
Jay Redmond