Rovers’ relief as late, late strike tips the Scales
THESE late, late larks from Shamrock Rovers this season are becoming rather a habit. Just when it seemed the Hoops would suffer the same Euro hangover fate as Bohemians and Dundalk, birthday boy Liam Scales — 23 yesterday — popped up with a last-gasp winner.
In the fifth of six minutes of stoppage time at windswept Tallaght Stadium, Scales met an inch-perfect right-wing cross from Sean Hoare to direct a powerful header past Lee Steacy.
‘I saw Sean look up and I thought this is a chance to get across the centre-half. I made a run for it,’ said Scales
‘Lucky enough there was pace on the ball and pace on the run. It was just about directing it on target.
‘To see it go in, I was over the moon. It’s a great (birthday) present. It’s never happened before, probably never happen again.’
What was Scales, a defender, doing up at centre-forward?
‘It was late, we were pushing for the goal. Lee Grace came on behind me and I was told to push up the pitch. It was a gamble and it paid off.’
Longford had defended resolutely only to be undone, for the third time this season, in the final moments against the champions.
And Scales felt some sympathy for the plucky Midlanders.
‘That’s three times we’ve won with a late goal against them. You have to feel sorry for them. They dig in, their centre-halves were unbelievable.’
‘They’re unlucky to be where they are, so far off it (in the league). We struggled to break them down.’
Scales will fly out with Rovers to Albania this week amid uncertainty over his future in green and white ahead of the August 31 transfer deadline.
‘There’s interest, that’s public. I’m weighing options and taking my time. Until I make that decision, I’m a Rovers player.
‘I just focus on my performance. Working hard, staying in the team. I go in and train as normal. I don’t want it to be a distraction.
‘I had it at UCD in the past when it affected my performance. If there is news, we’ll talk about it,’ he added.
For the moment, Scales is the talk of Rovers after he added a few euro to his value after a trying afternoon of toil for the champions.
Stephen Bradley shuffled his deck but the cards he dealt wasn’t exactly a hand of aces.
While Rovers owned most of the ball, they didn’t use it wisely and Steacy wasn’t over-worked until the final moments.
From open play, only Graham Burke found the target in the first 45 minutes. Twice Burke was off cue with shots, while Richie Towell’s piledriver was directed straight at Treacy.
At one point, Burke danced into the box but rather than shoot, he tried to find Towell and the chance was lost.
Longford didn’t manage much in an attacking sense but they had a penalty claim when Michael McDonnell appeared to have his shirt tugged by Hoare in the box. Referee Rob Hennessy wasn’t moved.
Even when Hoops boss Bradley turned to the cavalry in the second half, Rovers struggled for a spark.
In fairness, Danny Mandroiu injected some fizz, teeing up fellow substitute Rory Gaffney for a crack at goal, only the ball sailed over.
Briefly, Longford broke cover and Rob Manley found Aaron Dobbs, whose right-footer stung the fingers of Alan Mannus.
Mostly, the visitors were on the back foot, their vigilance exemplified by defenders McDonnell and Aaron O’Driscoll.
As the clock ticked down, Burke became a man on a mission.
Twice, he directed shots too close to Treacy and when he was denied by the upright in injury time, Longford looked set to hold on.
Only there was one more twist to come, a final tipping of the Scales. SHAMROCK ROVERS: Mannus; Hoare, Lopes, Scales; Murphy (Finn 66), McCann (Watts 61), Towell (Mandroiu 61), Kavanagh (Grace 89); Burke, Greene, Emakhu (Gaffney 61). Scorer: Scales 90+5.
LONGFORD TOWN: Steacy; O’Brien (Robinson 62), McDonnell, O’Driscoll, Kirk; McNally (J Manley 85), Zambra, Dervin, Grimes (Chambers 62); Dobbs (Warfield 73), R Manley.
Referee: R Hennessy (Limerick)