Longford Town crash to heavy defeat away to Bray Wanderers

Bray Wanderers . . . 4 Longford Town . . . 0 

It all went wrong for Longford Town who crashed to a heavy defeat against Bray Wanderers in the Airtricity League First Division clash at the Carlisle grounds on Friday night. 

Longford’s tale of woe was complete when they were reduced to ten men midway through the second half.

Captain Dean O'Shea was sent-off in the 67th minute for the foul (second yellow card) that yielded Goal number 4 from a penalty for rampant Bray

The Town are back in action away to Athlone on Easter Monday, kick-off 5pm, and beleaguered manager Wayne Groves will be hoping for a positive result  in the midlands derby. 

Conor Knight, Cian Curtis, Rhys Knight and Max Murphy were all on target for Bray as they matched a club record of five consecutive victories. 

It was a flying start for the Seagulls. Jamie Duggan played a one-two from a throw-in with Cian Curtis and whipped in an excellent cross that Conor Knight darted ahead of his man to meet and guide an excellent header into the top corner of the net. 

Longford woke up on eight minutes as Emre Topcu charged through the middle with the ball at his feet but he lost it on the edge of the area as  the ball landed at the feet of Mohammed Bodiaf. His first-time measured curling effort was creeping towards the bottom corner but Bray keeper Jimmy Corcoran’s outstretched left hand vitally turned it around the post.

Longford missed a glorious chance to level matters on 22 minutes. Dean O’Shea launched in a throw that was flicked on. It fell to Bodiaf just six yards out but he smashed the ball over the bar. 

Town winger Joshua Giurgi then flashed an extremely dangerous cross/shot across the face of goal that evaded everyone as it skidded narrowly beyond the far post as Longford enjoyed a good spell.

Then disaster struck for the visitors. A long ball was played forward that should have been cleared by the Longford defence. But Oisin Hand missed his header which forced Andrew Spain into action and he slipped to leave Cian Curtis completely clean through on goal. He accepted the gift as he calmly planted the ball beyond opposing keeper Harry Halwax.

The game was still in the balance going into the second half but then Bray  took control. A corner was nodded away to the edge of the area and Conor Knight caught it very sweetly only to be denied by a flying save from Halwax.

Knight’s all-action display continued on 65 minutes as he made an interception on halfway. He laid it to Cian Curtis, who returned the favour by slipping in Conor Knight who then set up Rhys Knight – only on the pitch three minutes – for the killer third goal. 

Longford’s misery increased just two minutes later as O’Neill jinked past Dean O’Shea in the area and got clipped. A penalty was awarded and O’Shea was sent-off for a second booking.

Max Murphy tucked away Bray’s fourth goal from the spot and they went so close to scoring again. Killian Cantwell from inside his own half spotted Halwax off his line and he was beaten but was saved by the crossbar to deny the defender a goal of the season contender.

BRAY WANDERERS: Jimmy Corcoran; Jamie Duggan, Killian Cantwell, Harvey Warren, Max Murphy; Rhys Bartley, Cian Doyle; Billy O’Neill, Richard Ferizaj, Conor Knight; Cian Curtis. 

Subs:- Rhys Knight for Ferizaj (62 mins); Calum Costello for O’Neill (74 mins); Danu Kinsella Bishop for Curtis (74 mins); Alain Kizenga for Duggan (77 mins); Guillermo Almirall for Bartley (77 mins). 

LONGFORD TOWN: Harry Halwax; Etolie Emmanuel Milongo, Oisin Hand, Andrew Spain, Dean O’Shea; Jacon Flood Norton, Emre Topcu; Joshua Harsani Giurgi, Daragh Murtagh, Mohammed Boudiaf; Aaron Doran.

Subs:- Luke Wade Slater for Giurgi (69 mins); Aaron Walsh for Hand (69 mins); Pharrell Manuel for Milongo (69 mins); Dean George for Bodiaf (73 mins); Francis Campbell for Murtagh (73 mins). 

Referee: Jason Moore.