Albion in the hunt
ALBION ROVERS VIRGINIA CELTIC 3 1
ALBION Rovers boosted their title challenge in Division 2 when they returned to winning ways on a wet Thursday in Muirdeach’s Park.
The home side made it look easy early on and after only 10 minutes they punished Virginia when Karl Harding played a ball into Evan Corlett whose first touch left him goal-side of the Virginia back line and he finished down low to the keeper’s right.
Albion never looked under pressure in the first half thanks to a fantastic display by their back four of Harding, man of the match Neil McEvoy, Lee Allen and Kevin Kelly.
Meanwhile, the midfield pairing of Steo Martin and Jack Reynolds worked their socks off as usual, breaking up play and spreading the ball left and right.
Corlett had a hand in Albion’s second goal when a clever little back heel saw him leave the defender helpless and Sean Doherty finished under the oncoming goalkeeper.
It was 2-0 at half-time and the Monasterboice side looked to be in cruise control.
They introduced Adam Gartland for Doherty on the hour mark and with his first touch Gartland scored with a fantastic scissors kick from a Corlett assist.
Albion then emptied the bench and continued to create chances, although it was Virginia who scored a consolation goal late on. ALBION ROVERS: N McDonnell, K Harding, K Kelly, N McEvoy, L Allen, S Martin, J Reynolds, B Faulkner, S Kelly, E Corlett, S Doherty. Subs: A Morgan, A Gartland, G Maher, D Kirwan, T Kavanagh, H Goncalves.