Belgard men let it slip against league leaders
BELGARD Athletic twice threw away a one-goal lead and a chance to scalp joint Leinster Senior League Premier One leaders, Corduff FC, as they lost out 3-2 in Blanchardstown.
While Corduff controlled the play for the guts of the first half it was Belgard who drew first blood in the 35th minute, Kevin Bates finding James Quinn with a defence-splitting pass and he coolly lifted the ball over the Corduff keeper.
Taking this narrow lead into the second half, Belgard looked to add to their tally and came charging out of the blocks after the break. They went close when centre forward Dean Cooke shot narrowly over the bar.
Yet at the other end of the pitch, Belgard shot stopper, Graham Kearney, was called into action to push the ball around the post in the 60th minute.
However, from the resulting corner, Craig Newman put the ball in the back of the Belgard net – drawing the sides level.
It was end-to-end football from there on in, as minutes later Dean Cooke slotted home to put Belgard back into the lead.
It was to prove a dramatic closing 25 minutes to the match, as Belgard struggled to cope with the unrelenting pressure of the Corduff attack.
And Paul Fetherston restored parity once more when he got in on the end of a Craig Newman pass from the right wing.
With the sides level once again, Corduff reaped the rewards of their pressure when Fetherston scored his second to put the north-siders in the driving seat and leave Belgard sitting fifth in the table, 11 points behind Corduff and Marks Celtic at the summit.
