STAN’ & DELIVER
Scot’s first goal and Hoban stunner earn Dundalk win
NOT CONTENT with being a great goalscorer, Patrick Hoban has decided that he wants to be a scorer of great goals.
Better known for his deadly finishing inside the box, he produced a wonder- strike last night just three days after his screamer against Sligo Rovers.
The crazy thing is, Hoban’s 59th minute half-volley faced a battle last night to be considered the goal of the game.
Dundalk’s win, which lifted them above Waterford and out of the relegation play-off zone, was instigated by a sensational Sam Stanton effort moments before half-time.
The talented Scot’s first goal for the Lilywhites will live long in his memory.
He raced across James Finnerty, back-heeled Michael Duffy’s pass around the defender and drilled the ball high into the roof of the net from a nearimpossible angle.
As for Hoban’s goal, a corner from the right found its way to the striker yards outside the Bohs penalty area.
Chest
Hoban controlled it on his chest, one bounce and then bang, with a swing of his left boot he sent the ball flying past the dive of James Talbot and inside the left-hand post.
This was more like the Dundalk of old; great goals, great attacking play.
If it wasn’t for Talbot’s Gordon Banks impression, they would have been completely out of sight by the 64th minute.
The Bohs goalkeeper dived to his left and somehow tipped Hoban’s powerful downward header up and onto the post.
Talbot quickly recovered to keep out Sean Murray on the rebound, before the ball was hacked clear.
By now it was a million miles an hour stuff. Moments before Talbot’s heroics, Bohs striker Georgie Kelly, the league’s top goalscorer, did the unthinkable when he blasted Liam Burt’s pullback over from just five yards.
He appealed for handball, but referee Neil Doyle was unmoved.
Nor did he see a foul when Kelly, with his back to goal, appeared to be dragged to the ground as he tried to turn and get his shot off.
Kelly’s second penalty appeal was louder than the first because by now the
Gypsies were chasing an equaliser.
It would be harsh on Bohs to label it another goalkeeping mishap by the Oriel Park side, as Long’s men were well worth their goal.
Counter
However, Tyreke Wilson’s 18-yard shot — from Conor Levingston’s pass — beat Peter Cherrie at his near post. Sami Ben Amar might also have been quicker to close the fullback down.
But it was pure entertainment at t his stage as B ohs pushed forward in search of an equaliser, while Dundak attempted to score on t he counter.
Hoban came close to scoring a second when his rising shot from the edge of the area narrowly cleared the righthand upright.
The Dublin side, meanwhile, had every single home fan on the edge of their seats as they pummelled the Dundalk area. But to no avail.
Vinny Perth’s men claimed their second win on the bounce to move clear of the play- off place. If they attack like this in their remaining eight games, this will be the end of any relegation talk.