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League - Sunday 20th January 2008 14:00 Venue: Monkstown

Where did the luck go???

18^th Newtownabbey  3  Santos  0   Mirror Amateur League   Div 2B

 Santos’ visit to the magnificent  Monkstown ground saw a classic witnessed by a large appreciative crowd.  As a result 18^th consolidate their position, rightfully , at the top of the table ;while Santos, although disappointed by the lack of points, ,nevertheless played a full part in a magnificent game of football.  The main difference in the sides ,really, was the lethal sharpness of the Monkstown boys while Santos although a bit wayward in shooting just had a day when “Lady Luck” turned her back on them.

 The game sparkled from the off with a thunderbolt free kick by Ryan Beattie held by the Santos keeper Gerry Mc Veigh.  Then Aidey Hughes, playing powerfully up front for Santos was inches over with a screamer of his own. Tit for tat chances passed with excellent goalkeeping a feature for both sides.  A sparkling 7 man Santos move saw Manus O Gorman just a yard short, while N abbey striker Geordie Lynn blistered the outside of the Santos post from 20 yds.  Then came the first of three cruel twists on the young Santos side all, strangely, seeing striker Manus O Gorman involved. Taking a great pass from Burns, O Gorman turned the !8^th defence inside out and just about to shoot was upended inside the box.  The referee waved play on then admitted he had erred in his decision.  Still Santos swept on with Burns prominent in midfield and Nigel Stevenson, returning after a long injury, proving magnificent at centre back dominating in the air and lightening quick on the ground.

 So0 0 was a fair half time result

 If the first half saw a great game the second was a classic.  Both teams upped the pace and Santos now driven remorselessly forward by captain Mc Geehan were dangerous on each occasion.  Then the lightening strike Santos feared.  A throw in on the Santos right was carelessly defended and Logan hammered in a low cross which  Geordie Lynn bundled in with a touch from the unlucky Stevenson deceiving Mc Veigh. Then Manus O Gorman suffered the second oh his three “heart breaks”.  Hughes robbed a hesitant 18^th defender and O Gorman gobbled up the loose ball and stroked home.  To everyone’s horror the referee signalled offside completely missing the second N abbey defender on the line.  To his great credit the referee acknowledged he has erred but Santos knew that it was not to be their day especially as 2 mins later the hapless O Gorman powered a header which hit the underside   of the crossbar yet stayed out.   Brady repeated the  moment 3 mins later as his rocket too looked goal bound until it crashed the underside of the bar and it too stayed out.  Then disaster!!  Gerry Mc Veigh took a sloppy kick out putting the ball straight to  a N Abbey player who had a gift.  He passed to Dale Fenner to crash home.  All over the pitch Santos players fell to their  knees in disbelief that a game they felt winnable should be lost in such circumstances.  Still they pushed on and Paul Brady on as sub was threatening at every move.  Mc Auley completed a hat trick of crossbar strikes to show Santos that it was not their day. Then in the 90^th min Mick Burns committed another silly error .losing the ball when under no pressure and the lethal Geordie Lynn fairly blasted home his second and his team’s third goal to leave a very lopsided  look to the  scoreline.  Manager Mc Geehan was up beat.  “We were excellent all through the team. The team was praised by all in the big crowd for providing excellent entertainment and I feel we used up our quota of bad luck for a whole season to day so I am looking forward to the next games.

Lineup
		Player	Position	Rating	Info
		Gerard McVeigh	Goalkeeper
		Gerard Brady	Right Back
		Barry Doherty	Left Back
		Stephen Walker	Centreback
		Nigel Stevenson	Sweeper
		Aaron Harmon	Left Midfield
		Joseph McGeehan	Center Midfielder
		Michael Burns	Attacking Midfielder
		Patrick Parker	Defensive Midfielder
		Aidan Hughes	Striker
		Manus O'Gorman	Target Man

Substitutes
		Player	Position	Rating	Info
		Conor McCormack	Attacking Midfielder		on for Doherty 45
		Paul Brady	Striker		on for O Gorman 55
		Conor McAuley	Left Winger		on for Harmon 60

Man of the Match
		Player	Notes
		Joseph McGeehan	driving powerful leadership