Ten Man Mals Out Battle Foundry

Foundry skipper Paul McCord, referee Raymond Bigger and  Mals captain Conor McHugh

Today was the acid test for a fast improving Mals side as they took on a young, confident, high flying Foundry side who were just one win off top spot in the Premiership. Malachians were not found wanting and despite going a goal and a man down battled back to a well deserved 2-1 victory with two penalties in the second half from “Cool Hand Luke” Moore to record their fifth successive victory.

This was the strongest squad of the season so far so there would be no excuses as Mals paraded the same starting eleven that defeated Islandmagee last Saturday, with Adams and McCourt added to the bench alongside Dillon. The game got off to a frantic start with the breeze favouring Mals as they attacked the railway end but the first clear chance of the game fell to the visitors when front man Stephen “Stroker” Young was played in by Paul Atcheson but his effort went narrowly wide.

The two sides were cancelling each other out as both teams struggled to dominate the midfield but on twenty five minutes the visitors went ahead. Young went down dramatically under a challenge on the left, a little dubiously in my book, but from the resultant free kick from the talented left boot of full back Daryl McAlinden, Young was left all alone at the far post to head home from close range and the visitors were ahead.

Strangely going behind galvanized the home side who slowly but surely settled and played their way into the game with McDonnell and Reilly getting into good positions. However all too often Mals attacks foundered on some impressive, resolute defending by Foundry centre back Graham Beck. Mals’ Reilly got goal side of his defender in one instance and there were big shouts from the home support for a penalty, waved away by referee Raymond Bigger, as the half ended with Foundry having the better of it and a goal to the

good.

HT: Malachians 0 Albert Foundry 1

The battle continued after the break with Young and Collins scrapping for everything with no quarter asked for or given, but the game changed dramatically on nineteen minutes when Mals striker McDonnell was shown a hotly disputed straight red by referee Bigger. The Mals striker was clearly being held back by Foundry centre half Beck but after what seemed an innocuous tangle, referee Bigger at first appeared to award a free to Malachians. However after checking with Beck, lying flat out on the ground clutching his eye, referee Bigger then summoned McDonnell to see a straight red and reversed his original decision. The dismissal looked harsh in the extreme and even the sporting Beck protested the innocence of his opponent but to no avail as Mals went down to ten. Reilly was shown yellow for dissent in the immediate aftermath as Adams replaced McAtee in central midfield.

It looked like the writing was on the wall for Malachians, a goal down and down to ten men, but as so often happens it was the ten men who responded to the adversity and just six minutes later the sides were level. Moore jinked his way into the box, past two defenders, before going down under challenge and a penalty kick was the decision. Stonewall said one side, harsh said the other and probably a bit of referee atonement for his earlier decision was the truth of the matter. In any case up stepped Moore, the result was never in doubt, and the sides were level at one goal apiece. Visiting defender Beck was then booked for debating the issue just a little too vociferously. Incredibly Mals were now having the better of it as Foundry fell away  and only a great stop, with outstretched boot by Foundry keeper Connor Brown, denied Mals substitute Adams and kept the sides level.

At the other end Mals keeper Stitt, an increasingly vital cog in the Mals ongoing revival, saved well from a Beck header after a corner but the visitors were clearly rattled and the ten man home side were well on top. Eleven minutes from time Mals got the winner their battling performance deserved to howls of delight from another big home crowd. Lowe, who was exceptional and worked tirelessly for the team throughout, broke free down the right flank to be challenged , feet first by away keeper Brown. It was rash in the extreme giving Lowe the option of going down and penalty was the only decision that referee Bigger could give. Moore again outfoxed the away keeper  with the kick and suddenly, from nowhere Mals were in seventh heaven and Foundry looked a beaten side.

Dillon replaced Dalton to tighten the defence, Adams continued to make a huge contribution in midfield, although he did see yellow for a clumsy challenge late on, whilst the blistering pace and commitment of Reilly on the left had the ball in the Foundry net again before the end only to be called back for offside, which looked harsh. So Mals deservedly claimed all three points and passed another serious test of their progress under Saunders and Collins against a highly rated Foundry side who undoubtedly will challenge for the title this season. The Mals team and squad look committed with all making contributions and the defence is clearly settled and strong. There is pace, creativity and strength but most of all the team is playing with a smile on their faces and clearly enjoying their football. Long may it last. Mals next fixtures will be decided at the league meeting next Monday, but everyone at the club can’t wait for next Saturday. Up the Mals !

FT: Malachians 2 Albert Foundry 1

Best for Mals: Conor McHugh

Best for Foundry: Graham Beck