Blackforge in the mix in league

BLACKFORGE FC find themselves in the mix at the top of the UCFL Division One section, after a comfortable 3-0 win over Beech Park in Walkinstown Park on Saturday afternoon, reports John Mooney.

The Forge have hit a bit of good form lately and were ready and waiting for Beech Park, who, unfortunately, are propping up the Division.

You know that you are in a bit of trouble when your keeper, the visitors Anto Brady, is man-of-the-match after some superb saves between the sticks.

His heroics kept the home attack at bay until the 50th minute and, unfortunately for the visitors, that’s when it all went pear shaped.

Blackforge FC had a comfotable win over Beech Park

It’s fair to say that Blackforge took time to get going even though they had the lion’s share of possession, but they just couldn’t put their chances away.

Brady denied Darren Goode, Joe Roe, Callum Shone and Ian Cowzer in the opening half, before finally being beaten twice in the early stages of the second half, both gifts to the home side.

Five minutes after the restart a hopeful ball into the area saw Brady come and collect, but before he could gather the ball a defender stuck out a foot and guided the ball into the path of John Massey, and he was happy enough to accept the gift and roll the ball into an empty net.

Beech Park’s keeper was man of the match but couldn’t prevent Blackforge from winning

Seven minutes later it was 2-0 after Cowzer released Darren Keane down the left, his deep cross was missed by two Forge forwards but defender Leo Finnan threw a foot at it, and sliced the ball over Brady’s head and into the net.

They were two sucker punches and two they would never recover from, and, really, to sum up their day they never threatened Sam Holland in the home goal.

The Forge were always looking for a third and with 15 minutes remaining they got it, and a beauty it was too.

Joe Roe of Blackforge FC gets away from Eoin Foley of Beech Park

Cowzer gathered the ball just outside the area, skipped a couple of challenges and let fly with an effort that crashed into the roof of the net, a great way to seal the points even though they didn’t really need it.

BLACKFORGE FC: S. Holland, K. Burive, J. Kelly, S. May, J. Massey, I. Cowzer, D. Goode, C. Shone, K. Butler, S. Murray, J. Roe, D. Villags, K. Smith, T. O’Dwyer, I. Lynch, D. Keane.

BEECH PARK: A. Brady, C. Bracken, L. Finnan, J. White, D. Choi, E. Fahy, A. Kinsella, C. Murray, D. O’Gorman, R. Walsh, C. Foy, G.  Philpott, S. Connor, L. Corcoran, A. Hegarty, D. Kinsella.

REFEREE: T. Docherty.