Longford Town suffer late, late heartbreak as Bray Wanderers snatch a dramatic draw

Bray Wanderers . . . 1    Longford Town . . . 1

Demoralised Longford Town must be wondering what they have to do to register their first win of the season in the Airtricity League after suffering late, late heartbreak in a dramatic draw against Bray Wanderers in the rearranged fixture at the Carlisle Grounds on Monday night.

Leading for most of the First Division match after Karl Chambers broke the deadlock in the 8th minute with his well directed shot clipping the post as the ball ended up in the back of the net, Longford had chances to increase their early lead but still looked to have done enough to collect all three vital points.

A couple of cracking saves from the competent Town keeper Jack Brady consolidated the slender advantage and the game boiled over approaching the end of normal time with both sides reduced to ten men.

Red cards were issued to Bray defender Max Murphy and Longford substitute Francis Campbell and then to the amazement of the attendance the fourth official board signalled 14 minutes of additional time. 

That bizarre decision proved to be a boost for Bray who kept plugging away in their frantic search for the equaliser and it eventually materialised in the 10th minute of stoppage time when a shot from substitute Thomas Morgan was deflected past the unfortunate Jack Brady who tried in vain to keep his net intact.

It was a real sickening blow for Longford who also let victory slip from their grasp in the previous games away to Athlone and at home to Finn Harps but with a couple of postponed fixtures in hand the midlanders are capable of climbing up the table.

Without the injured Viktor Serdeniuk who is a big loss, the Town are currently rooted in bottom spot but that unsatisfactory situation will hopefully change quickly and the manager Stephen Henderson will believe that his side can gain that elusive victory against UCD at Bishopsgate this Friday night, kick-off 7.45pm. 

BRAY WANDERERS: Corcoran, Murphy, Cantwell, Nolan, Osam, Thompson, Feeney, Groome, Murphy, Almirall Penalver, Griffin.

Subs:- Cruise for Osam, Grogan for Almirall Penalver and Morgan for Feeney (59 mins); McGuinness for Corcoran (68 mins); Omorehiomwan for Murphy (83 mins).   

LONGFORD TOWN: Jack Brady; Shane Elworthy, Jamie Egan, Oisin Hand, Kyle O’Connor; Adam Wixted, Conor Crowley, Bastien Hery, Luke Wade Slater; Karl Chambers, Chris Lyons.

Subs:- Dean O’Shea for Chambers (54 mins); Francis Campbell for Wixted (76 mins); Mohamed Boudiaf for Lyons (77 mins); Callum Bonner for Boudiaf (90 plus 7 mins). 

Referee: Mark Houlihan.