BRAY WANDERERS 3 ATHLONE TOWN 0
The game at the Carlisle Grounds on Friday night last was between the two out of form teams in the First Division - Bray Wanderers had gone ten games without a win while Athlone Town had yet to record a victory after fifteen outings, the home team also having the weakest scoring record.
Wanderers were on top in the opening stages and had created all the chances up to the first goal being scored. Two corner kicks were forced while Ben Feeney missed a great chance after 10 minutes when he headed off target from a right-wing cross. Callum Thompson then had a shot blocked while Conor McManus fired across the goalmouth from the left.
A corner followed as the home pressure continued to mount. Bray were soon to exploit the space down their left when hitting the front after 19 minutes. The ball was worked out to Darragh Lynch and he took full advantage of the space available by shooting past the keepers left to the net. Lynch then had the opportunity to double the lead before Athlone had their first chance after 28 minutes through Carlton Ubaezuonu. Athlone struggled to mount any serious challenge and McManus and Paul Fox were both off target either side of two Town corners.
The second half was much improved but Bray did not have much trouble in recording their biggest win of the season. A second goal just after the hour mark put the game out of Athlone’s reach. An early home corner was followed by Athlone having their best chance to date when Thomas Oluwa sent in a cross from the left which Ubaezuonu almost forced home from close range.
Glen McAuley fired over as the visitors tried to get back into contention. Two corners for Bray were followed by a second goal after 64 minutes as Lynch doubled up when poking the ball home from close range.
There was little doubt about the final outcome when Bray made it three nil after 73 minutes. Rob Manley was into the action midway through the half and was soon celebrating, the substitute heading home from close range after being picked out by a Darragh Levingston cross from the right.
Kieran Marty Waters then fired over as a corner kept up the home pressure. Athlone keeper Mark Smith kept the score down when he pushed over a shot from Thompson after 79 minutes. The visitors only came into contention during the closing stages as Shane Barnes headed over from a corner with a further corner following.
Wanderers however could easily have made it four late on. Fox struck a free kick which deflected off the defensive wall but Smith pushed the ball away from the goal.
Athlone finished on the offensive with some danger being created from set pieces. A corner kick was followed by Noah Van Geenen heading wide from a free. The final chance arrived in the last minute, again from a corner, but substitute Gary Armstrong shot wide with Athlone firing another blank on the scoreboard.
