Another Cruel Twist For Mals

Mals skipper Jerome McAtee, referee Kevin Taggart and Notel captain Stuart McClean

Another Saturday, another cruel twist of fate as Malachians were beaten 5-3 away to Nortel despite a committed performance. Just two weeks ago at Dromara, Mals lead 3-1 at half time, missed a glorious chance just after half time and ended up beaten. Today’s story was very similar, again 3-1 up at half time, missed a sitter at 3-2 , early in the second half, and again finished up on the wrong side of the score sheet.

In heavy, slippery conditions at Monkstown Mals were without suspended captain McHugh and with McCourt, McDonagh, McDonnell and Adams all unavailable, were therefore delighted to welcome back Collins who started in central midfield alongside stand-in captain Jerome McAtee. Sharpe after last week’s excellent performance kept his place at the centre of defence alongside Hackett.

The game started at a slow tempo pace as both sides struggled to come to terms with the conditions but with just five minutes showing on the clock Mals went in front. A free from the left by Sharpe was headed on by McAtee causing hesitancy in the home defence allowing Collins to take full advantage from inside the box, despite appeals for offside by the home side. The sides were level just ten minutes later when Nortel winger Kyle Agnew, a constant thorn in the Mals side all afternoon, was left with a simple tap in after a Stitt parry.

The equaliser settled the home side who started to gain the upper hand, with a booking for Mals left back Dalton for a mis-timed challenge, but it was Mals who grabbed the lead when a through ball by Dalton saw Moore cleverly spring the home side off side trap to calmly beat home keeper Chris Malone in the resultant one on one.

The half descended into a dour midfield battle but Lowe almost chipped home from distance, his effort tipped over by Malone , as Mals finished the half strongly and they deservedly increased their lead just before the break with a wonderful solo effort from Moore. He dribbled right through the heart of the home defence, rounded the keeper and finished brilliantly from an acute angle past two covering defenders on the line.

HT: Nortel 1 Malachians 3

Nortel started the second period strongly and there was a hesitant start by the away defence. Thirteen minutes in and Nortel had reduced the deficit to just a single goal when Agnew took full advantage of a through ball, this time catching the Mals defence napping, to finish well for his second goal. The whole game swung Nortel’s way just two minutes later with a body blow from which Malachians never recovered. Collins went on a mazey, dribbling run past several defenders to the byeline before squaring perfectly, past the keeper, for Moore to seal his hat trick, but the normally lethal striker horribly miskicked from inside the six yard box with the goal at his mercy and the ball was cleared. As the Mals touchline held their heads in disbelief Nortel broke and Agnew dribbled across the Mals goal before being upended by keeper Stitt, seeing yellow for his troubles from referee Taggart, for a definite penalty. Agnew took the kick himself, he got his hat trick and the sides were level.

Corr was replaced by Murray on the right, as Mals attempted to regroup, but the side had been dealt a terminal , psychological blow and Nortel took full advantage twenty minutes in when Craig Caughey headed home a cross from the left for the lead for the home side, as Mals then replaced Feighan with McGowan on the left.

As the gloom descended so Mals frustrations grew as Nortel’s Agnew continued to torment them and the home side held territorial advantage. As the game entered the final ten, so Mals were forced to chase an equaliser going three at the back and pushing Collins up front, but to be honest despite this they rarely threatened. Home forward Mark Craig then missed a great headed chance to seal the result before the same player, three minutes from time, eventually did and the home side were two goals to the good , having scored four times in the second period without reply.

Mals Murray got a straight red at the end for an off the ball incident which saw both sides involved in some unsavoury scenes and an official from the Nortel dug out also saw red from referee Taggart for his part in the afters. The autumn gloom descended further, the final whistle went and Mals misery was complete. This was another bitter pill for Mals to swallow, the commitment was clearly there, but confidence is also clearly low and clear cut chances have to be taken if leads are to be capitalised on. Malachians will play Rosario next week at the Stadium of Sand. Up the Mals !

FT: Nortel 5 Malachians 3