AFC Dungannon blow two-goal lead in thrilling Mid Ulster Football League Division 3 encounter against Moira

AFC Dungannon let a two-goal lead slip to fall to a 3-2 home defeat against Moira Albion on Saturday afternoon.

The home side, playing at Drumcoo Playing Fields, came into the fixture sitting third in Division 3 of the Mid Ulster Football League, knew they would have to be on top form to get a result against a game Moira Albion side.

An extremely competitive midfield battle opened the match, with the visiting side enjoying the better of the early possession and passing opportunities. AFC Dungannon, however, fashioned an early corner opportunity through some excellent work by No. 7 Miguel Ximenes down the left touchline, but it ultimately came to nothing.

In what would prove to be a sign of things to come, the visitors put together a dangerous counterattack in the 13th minute that forced an excellent save from goalkeeper Diego Barreto.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 16th minute, when winger Daryl Montaque delivered a sumptuous cross into the box. The cross was met with a bullet header by striker (and club captain) Barry Logan. Things would get even better for the home side just a few minutes later when midfielder James O’Hara delivered a sensational, defence-splitting through ball to No. 10 Filomeno Branco (another standout performer on the day), who promptly provided the tidy finish past the goalkeeper to make it 2-0 to AFC Dungannon.

Just before half-time, in the 35th minute, momentum started to shift away from the home side.

A high ball into the box proved to be the undoing of goalkeeper Barreto, whose punch of the ball fell to a Moira attacker. The striker, in turn, then promptly converted with a header from the defensive mess-up.

An extremely entertaining first half was then promptly ended by the referee’s whistle a few minutes later.

The second half, much like the first, started off with a bang – specifically, the bang of the Dungannon crossbar. A Moira corner dropped into the box, but the attacker could only sting the post with a rasping attempt.

The home side began to respond with attacks of their own, with midfielder O’Hara continuing to pull the strings. A 48th minute charge through midfield ultimately ended with his shot going high and wide, whilst a long-range effort a few minutes later stung the gloves of the Moira goalkeeper – but the rebound could not be converted into the all-elusive third goal.

Further dangerous counterattacks were launched by the visitors, with a corner in the 58th minute having to be excellently tipped onto the crossbar by goalkeeper Barreto.

Several substitutes for the home side could not, ultimately, prevent the visitors from scoring an equaliser, with the visitors taking advantage of some poor defending at the back-post to make it 2-2 from a corner.

Unfortunately, things got even worse for AFC Dungannon just a few minutes later, when another defensive mess left Moira Albion with a free run at goal. Goalkeeper Barreto was forced into an excellent initial save, but his parried stop fell straight back into the striker’s path, who promptly made it 3-2 to Moira Albion.

Despite some late pressure from the home side, AFC Dungannon could not reverse the momentum in the game, ultimately falling to a 3-2 comeback loss.

Speaking after the game, assistant Manager Micky Stringer and midfielder O’Hara reflected on the loss.

“In the first half, we found it a very cagey affair”, Stringer reflected. “We took the lead, that’s probably the only positive of that first half. If we’d gone in two up at half-time, then it’s a different game, I think”, the assistant manager added.

“We conceded that goal, and when you give teams in this league a lifeline, then they will punish you,” Stringer admitted.

Midfielder O’Hara reflected very honestly on his own contribution to the game.

“Coming into [this game] and just getting the assist to help the boys to drive on…I thought we did well in passages of play, and then we just fell off”, O’Hara admitted.

“It’s disheartening when you get the assist and you’re trying to push on and push on - but well done to Moira; they pushed on and they got the win.”