Annagh United v Wakehurst
The visitors started brightly and had the Annagh defence at sixes and sevens in the opening minutes. Although Ryan Gregg's 20 yard effort missed the target, this was the confidence booster his side needed and their overall superiority continued to push the home team deeper.
This constant pressure finally brought the goal it deserved on 11 minutes. An excellent through ball from McCaughern found Conor Gregg and he easily turned inside Murphy before placing his shot out of the reach of keeper Wright.
Wakehurst continued to press and a well delivered free kick from McCaughern found the head of Conor Gregg at the near post but the lively striker's effort went just the wrong side of the upright.
Annagh only threatened occasionally and the Wakehurst rearguard was coping with these sporadic attacks. Then on 26 minutes a crossfield ball was headed away by Culbertson who stayed down after his clearance and it was three or four minutes before he eventually responded to treatment. In his temporary absence and from the resultant long throw in, Gardiner flicked the ball across the six yard box where McCordick bundled it into the net for an underserved equaliser.
Four minutes later the game was turned on its head. From another long throw in the ball was turned into the path of Camlin and he curled a well placed shot past the outstretched arms of Marc Maybin into the top corner.
Seven minutes before the break Culbertson suffered another blow to the head which again shook him badly and he was immediately replaced by Mark Crawford. Two minutes into added time at the end of this half, Annagh scored again from a third long throw in. This time Mulgrew found himself free on the edge of the six yard box and he volleyed in number three. This could easily have turned to four a minute later only for a great save by Maybin tipping over a superb Camlin strike and then coming to his team's rescue from the resultant corner.
The Wakehurst players were on the pitch before the interval was over but this show of determination didnt have time to materialise as Annagh hit their fourth. Three minutes into the second half, central defender Peden found himself all alone at the back post to head home a deep corner from Smith.
It only got worse for the visitors when Crawford fouled Gardiner just outside the box and from the free kick, ex Portadown striker Dean Smith drove the ball directly into the net past an unsighted Maybin.
Wakehurst introduced Stephen Mellon and changed their formation in an attempt to claw back the deficit and six minutes later McCaughern did pull one back, getting on the end of Conor Gregg's crossfield pass to cleverly guide the ball into the net from twenty yards.
With twelve minutes left, Wakehurst brought on Alexander and the substitute should have scored minutes later but his headed opportunity flew wide of the goal.
Wakehurst Team: Maybin, Lemon, Gage(D), Stevenson, Gage(S), Culbertson, McIlroy, McCaughern, Gregg(C), Paul, Gregg(R)
Subs: Mellon, Crawford, Alexander.
.png){kind=logo}
