New Santos vs Leisure FC
With the league campaign not going as well as expected, New Santos faced a potential banana skin in second division Leisure FC in the Nelson Cup second round at Strangford Avenue.
The game started off with a quick tempo with both sides having a share of the possession in the opening minutes. Santos took an early lead following a move that saw Paddy O’Reilly cause trouble in the Leisure defence and the ball broke to Stevie Copeland who produced a fine finish to put Santos a goal to the good. With the goal advantage, Santos seemed to take the foot of the pedal and two lapses of concentration in defence saw Leisure equalise then go a goal ahead within minutes of having gone behind.
Buoyed by their lead and jeers from the sideline of how Santos hadn’t won a match all season (just one of many misjudged claims from the Leisure management), Leisure themselves got too over-confident and Santos were back in it within 10 minutes as Paddy O’Reilly raced through on goal and rounded the keeper only to be brought down for a penalty. Captain Martin Magee stepped up and placed the penalty into the top left corner. The captain turned provider not long after when he set up David Harrigan who produced a neat finish of the far post from a tight angle. Santos furthered their lead just before half time with a lovely looping header by a Leisure defender over his own goalkeeper.
Half-time: New Santos 4-2 Leisure
With the deficit at two goals at half time, the next goal was going to be crucial, either Santos killing the game off or Leisure coming right back into it. Soon after the restart, it was Santos who got the decisive goal. A well worked free kick saw Martin Magee play in David Dougan who diverted the ball back across goal for Stevie Copeland to notch his second of the game.
Leisure were finished and the game threatened to descend into a farce at times with several fracases breaking out. The referee was forced to speak to the two captains and the pleads for calm were eventually heeded.
With football rather than fighting back on the agenda, New Santos extended their lead further as Martin Magee set up Paddy O’Reilly who made it 6 for Santos. Joe Magee then headed in Dave Harrigans corner to make it 7, before Stevie Copeland was denied his hat-trick after his goal was disallowed for a push on the defender. David Dougan and substitutes Padraig Henry and James Martin all came close to getting their names on the score sheet before Martin Magee finished Leisure off, scoring with a well placed looping header following a route one assist from goalkeeper JP Byrne.
With a cup run in the offing, the match provided Santos with a confidence boost going into a crucial period in the league.
Santos first XI:
GK: JP Byrne
LB: Kevin Carson
RB: Gareth McKinstrey
CB: David Dougan
CB: Joe Magee
LM: Stevie Copeland
RM: David Harrigan
CM: Martin Magee
CM: Kieran Seaward (> Michael West)
SC: Paul Barr (> James Martin)
Goalscorers: Martin Magee x2 (P O'Reilly, JP Byrne assists), Stevie Copeland x2 (D Dougan, P O'Reilly assists), Joe Magee (D Harrigan assist), P O'Reilly (Martin Magee assist), Own goal (Martin Magee assist), D Harrigan (Martin Magee assist).
M.o.t.M: Martin Magee
