Newtown prove too strong for Conary
Conary United left with too much to do after the interval
AN impressive first-half performance from Newtown United’s ‘B’ team ensured a scrappy victory over Conary United in Rooster Park on Sunday morning last.
The away side started the game in the best way possible with an early goal on the sixth minute from Conor Odlum.
Newtown were in complete control right from kick off and straight away took the game to their opponents with some threatening play around the penalty area.
Odlum was picked out by Barry Davis in the centre of midfield, Odlum drove past two Conary defenders before firing a shot into the bottom corner, a great strike to give his side the lead early in the first half.
Newtown did not let up and had a second goal ten minutes later with Barry Davis again getting a great assist.
Davis was awarded a freekick in a dangerous position just beyond the half way line. The midfielder clipped the ball into the penalty area, only to be met by the head of Karl Carthy who glanced the ball past Conary keeper Andrew Kennedy and into the back of the net.
Conary were trying to create chances and try grab a goal back before half-time but just couldn’t find a way past the Newtown defence.
Striker Stephen Roche went close on a number of occasions, it looked like he had grabbed a goal back for his side on 28 minutes when he made a great run down the left wing before cutting inside on his right foot but his curling shot rattled off the crossbar.
As the home side looked for a comeback goal they quickly found themselves 3-0 down.
Just on the stroke of half-time Sean Odlum played through Conor Odlum who slotted home his second goal of the game to give his side a three-goal cushion going into the second-half.
Conary went in at the break knowing they would have to produce a perfect second-half performance if they wanted to get anything from the game.
Conary suffered a huge blow to their confidence in the third minute of the second-half as they found themselves four goals down through a goal from striker Stephen Coughlan who was picked out again by Barry Davis from a free-kick to head the ball into the top corner. Davis was now on a hat-trick of assists.
Conary did not let the score line stop them from trying to form some sort of a comeback.
They started to see cracks in the Newtown defence as they kept pressuring and pressuring the back four and the home side started to panic, making odd mistakes.
Conary finally had a lifeline in the 50th minute after a great run from Stephen McCauley
McCauley went on a darting run towards the penalty area before playing the ball across the box to Andrew Doyle who slotted the ball into the net.
Newtown were unlucky not to be awarded a spot-kick late in the second-half as a defender handled the ball inside the penalty area but the referee gave a freekick instead as he said it would be unfair to give the away side a penalty as he could not make out where the penalty area was as the markings on the pitch were difficult to make out.
Conary did manage to grab another goal before the final whistle but unfortunately for the home side it would only be a consolation goal as they just ran out of time in the end.
Newtown almost fell apart in the second-half and may have brought on too many subs a bit too early in the game but it’s the away side who go away with all three points.