Dún Laoghaire Town 1 : Blackforge FC 5

We've all heard of the well worn and often threadbare cliché that the scoreline didn't reflect the game, well in this case on Saturday 2nd February, a truer observation couldn't be made on this hard fought and immensely enjoyable game. Dún Laoghaire Town's "B" Squad was at home to Blackforge FC in the LSL Div. 3A. An early and arguably foolishly easy goal for the visitors threatened to totally disrupt the carefully constructed game-plan of acting Manager, Ian M. Kane, as the lads of the "B" Squad struggled to get back into the game. It seemed that Blackforge FC were taking the game to the lads of "The Town" and punishing them for each lack of concentration or sloppy passing. But as chances arrived for "The Town" luck seemed to desert the lads until Johnson Goodwin finally found the back of the net with an exceptionally executed goal. The first half ended with the score 3 : 1 to the visitors. The half-time instructions by the acting Manager seemed to have hit home as the lads came out in the second half certainly in better shape and with a determination that was sadly lacking in the earlier stages of the game. But just as the lads of "The Town" were putting their own stamp on the game injuries plagued the squad and tiredness due to the pace of this game began to take its toll. The introduction of substitutes Dean Kelly and Nathan Jennings midway in the second half unfortunately didn't produce the badly needed goals for "The Town" and the sending off of Jack Bwalya for retaliation didn't help at all. Certainly Blackforge FC found the second half a tougher match, however, they still were able to add to their tally. Despite the scoreline, it was generally agreed that Goalkeeper Derek McAsey had an outstanding and yet, very difficult and challenging game. Final score: DLTFC 1 : Blackforge FC 5. (Ref: Noel Kelly)