New Santos vs Ardoyne WMC
New Santos met Ardoyne WMC in a top vs bottom match in which both sides were needing points for very different reasons. Having been beaten 4-0 in the reverse fixture, New Santos went into the game as big underdogs.
The task was made even tougher for Santos within a minute of kickoff as Martin Magee gifted the ball to ex-Cliftonville striker Anto Crawford who finished emphatically giving Ardoyne an early lead. One nil down against the league leaders so early on, Ardoyne perhaps expected Santos to crumble, but it wasn't to be. Lead by tenacious performances in the middle of the park by Kieran Seaward and Johnny Magill and buoyed by an energetic sideline, Santos battled and progressively edged their way back into the game. With around 25 minutes gone, Santos got a deserved equaliser when the ball fell to Paul Barr in the box and he lifted the ball over the Ardoyne keeper to equalise.
The game remained a competitive and fiesty affair with Ardoyne realising that Santos were not to be the pushover they perhaps expected. Ten minutes before the half time break, Joe Magee produced a wonderful last ditch tackle 6 yards from the Santos goal to keep the scores even. It wasn't to last though, as Paul McKillop and JP Byrne both left the ball for each other and Ardoynes big striker PJ got his leg between the two to lift it into the net.
Despite going a goal down, Santos went into the half time break knowing they could get something from the game, and Manager Ronan Doherty fueled their belief that all was not lost with his half time teamtalk.
Half-time: New Santos 1-2 Ardoyne WMC
Santos started the second half with a backline seemingly much more composed in the second half leading to a confidence around the team that they could get an equaliser.
Both sides continued to battle hard, with several firm but not nasty challenges around the pitch. Santos put the Ardoyne keeper under pressure with a series of corners and crosses of which the keeper dealt with unconvincingly. With the backline coping with the Ardoyne attacking threat, Santos were extremely unfortunate not to get an equaliser as Johnny Magills header beat the keeper only to get stuck in the mud on the wrong side of the line before it was cleared.
Not to be disheartened, Santos pushed on and Simon Magee broke down the left and went past a defender with ease and crossed to the front post were Darran Holland poked his knee in front of the Ardoyne defender for the equaliser. The Santos players and sideline went nuts as they were finally rewarded with the goal their pressure deserved.
The equaliser kicked Ardoyne into gear, and with ten minutes remaining they piled the pressure on Santos with corners and a free kick on the edge of the box which Kieran Seaward blocked brilliantly with his nose. The Santos defence held out and with one minute remaining, Simon Magee again broke down the left and was seemingly through until an Ardoyne defender came back forcing him to scuff his shot at the keeper.
It finished 2-2 with New Santos gaining a deserved point against the league leaders, as they continue their resurgence in their battle against relegation.
Full-time: New Santos 2-2 Ardoyne WMC
Team:
GK: JP Byrne
DL: Martin Magee
DR: Paul McKillop
DC: Joe Magee
DC: David Dougan
ML: Stevie Copeland
MR: Paul Barr (Paddy O’Reilly)
MC: Johnny Magill
MC: Kieran Seaward
SC: Simon Magee
SC: Darran Holland
M.o.t.M vote results:
Johnny Magill - 5
Paul Barr - 3
Kieran Seaward - 2
Stevie Copeland 1
Goalscorers: Paul Barr (K. Seaward assist), Darran Holland (Simon Magee assist)
