Major success as Town move into contention
Drogheda Town 3 Willow Park 1
DROGHEDA Town’s hard-fought come-from-behind win over Willow Park last week saw them climb to second in the Major Division table.
Most other teams have games in hand on the Marian Park outfit, but having won their last five home games Robbie Horgan’s charges are building serious momentum and could yet find themselves in the promotion shake-up come the business end of the season.
Town started poorly, letting Willow Park’s midfield run the show for the opening minutes, and helped by good support play down the right flank Glen Byrne gave the hosts some trouble.
Willow Park went close to opening the scoring on 11 minutes when a corner resulted in an almighty goalmouth scramble as two Drogheda players had to clear from each of the uprights.
The home side looked shaky at the back and on 27 minutes they had another lucky escape when Willow’s front man latched onto a brilliant pass from deep which split the defence, only for the resulting shot to skim the outside of the left post.
The visitors eventually got their goal on the half-hour when a cross from the right and a deflected shot ran kindly towards Aaron O’Neill who finished with an outstretched leg to the keeper’s left.
That was Drogheda Town’s wake-up call as they immediately found a nice rhythm to their play and just four minutes after going behind theyw restored parity. Some good build-up play saw a cross from the right find Calum Cooney and he teed up Emmanuel Santos who controlled with the knee before sending a cool, volleyed finish into the bottom left corner.
Town had the upper hand now, with Dean Haggins and Sam Reilly tackling well to win possession, and it wasn’t long before they took the lead.
Andy Hickey, whose set pieces and long throws were causing constant trouble, let fly with a curving right-foot 25-yard free kick which cannoned off the underside of the bar and bounced down over the line.
Willow Park almost drew level deep into first-half stoppage time when they won a corner kick from which the Drogheda defence headed clear, but only into the path of Darren Burke whose rifled 30-yard shot smacked against the crossbar.
Drogheda started the second half brightly, but they had another scare when Willow’s centre-forward headed just over the bar, with a defender doing just enough to put him off.
Horgan’s men needed an insurance goal and they got it on 61 minutes from a corner when Dale Harding’s wonderful out-swinger found the head of Marty Walsh, and with the keeper in no man’s land Walsh headed into the near-empty net.
Town began to sit back after that and Willow Park strung together pass after pass but couldn’t penetrate Town’s defence - that was until Kevin Murray was denied by a terrific last-ditch tackle from Davy McTeggart.
In the latter stages Town looked threatening from counter attacks through the speedy Santos and Walsh and the latter nearly added a fourth goal with a shot that flew narrowly wide.
Willow Park almost got a consolation in stoppage time when O’Neill rounded the keeper but had his shot blocked on the line. DROGHEDA TOWN: Alex Reilly, Stevie Waters, Barry Kelly, Davy McTeggart, Andy Hickey, Dale Harding (Scott Byrne), Dean Haggins, Sam Reilly, Callum Cooney (Michele Corsi), Marty Walsh, Emmanuel Santos.
• While Drogheda Town have been strong at home this season, they continue to struggle on their travels and on Friday night they missed a chance to go top of the Major Division table when beaten 3-1 by hosts and current league leaders Kilbarrack United.