Strabane edged out by Maiden City

THE old adage ‘goals win games’ certainly rang true at the Melvin Arena on Saturday when Strabane Athletic were defeated by Derry neighbours Maiden City.

Strabane Athletic 0 Maiden City 2

Goals by Lee Toland and Dylan Mooney sealed victory for the visitors on a day that Athletic never really got going.

Apart from a Rory Patterson effort that Ray Kelly tipped over his crossbar the City stopper was rarely tested.

Athletic certainly shaded the verdict in the first half without creating much in the final third although as the game opened up in the second period Colm Cassidy’s outfit were the better team.

The visitors carved out a number of glorious opportunities but it wasn’t until Mooney struck in the dying minutes that the visitors were sure of the points.

Perhaps most disappointing for Athletic is that the two goals they conceded were preventable. Toland’s free kick from wide on the right somehow found a way inside Jack Boggs’ near post and, in the build up to the clinching goal, a home defender should have done better against Johnny Robb.

Initially things looked promising for Strabane. Straight from the kick-off Fionn Faherty was sent clear of the visiting defence but seeing the whites of Kelly’s eyes the young striker blazed over.

Faherty then turned provider for player-manager Rory Patterson to fire wide from 25 yards and the same player was involved again moments later when sending Kelvin Nelson away on the right. The teenager scampered to the byline to stand up a teasing cross but a defender got to the ball ahead of Patterson.

Maiden City hadn’t a shot on target until 20 minutes when they took the lead. City were awarded a free kick five metres from the right byline and, as everyone seemingly lined up for an in-swinging cross, Toland whipped the ball inside Boggs’ near post.

Despite the setback, Athletic continued to probe and moments later a deflected looping effort from Patterson was superbly tipped over by the alert Kelly.

Patterson then twisted and turned, following an Aaron Walsh free kick, but this time the former Dungannon Swifts striker blasted straight at the visiting net-minder.

Kelly then did well to hold an attempt from Tom Carlin who had been ushered in on the left by Faherty. Faherty then threaded Patterson through on the right but the veteran striker fired his shot across goal and inches by the far post.

In between Boggs was relieved to see a Mooney effort from the edge of the box fizz agonisingly past his left upright and on the stroke of half-time the same player drifted in off the left to send a diverted shot inches over.

Strabane needed a big response in the second half and in the opening exchanges Faherty connected with a precisely measured free kick by Walsh but the striker’s first time effort from an acute angle dropped over the crossbar.

That early attempt should have set the tone but in truth Athletic never really threw down to gauntlet to their opponents.

In fact, City grew more and more into the game and Boggs brilliantly tipped a Mooney header onto his crossbar after excellent play by ex-Strabane player Kyle Harte and Luke Curry on the right.

In response, Mickey Logue just failed to get a touch on a dangerous Carlin corner but that apart Strabane were struggling to make an impression in the final third.

In stark contrast City threatened a second. Robb rifled wide of a post after a great interception and driving run by Curry before Boggs was swiftly off his line to deny Mooney in the wake of excellent approach play by Robb and Sean Carlin.

Strabane introduced Sean Ferry, Aaron Porter and Eamon McGrath in a bid to rescue the game and from one Ferry knockdown Patterson flashed inches over on the half volley.

Shortly afterwards though it was game over. Robb picked the pocket of Logue in the right hand corner before dashing in to cross for Mooney, who delivered the knockout blow by tapping into a gaping net.