U20 Match Report - Bray Wanderers 3 CK United 1

 

Two late goals by the substitute pairing of Alan Seruga and Stefan Ugbesia saw Bray get back to LOI Academy MU20 Tier Two (South) winning ways. 

Level at 1-1 at the interval at Ballycorus on Saturday afternoon, Wanderers ended a two-match losing streak by defeating CK United 3-1. 

The Wicklow side fielded no less than five players that are still technically U17 players. Two of them combined to forge a third minute breakthrough. 

Rhys Knight broke free off the right flank. And his low delivery picked out the in-rushing Philip Cooney. Initially stumbling, he recovered to slot in from close range. 

That lead was short-lived as the Carlow/Kilkenny visitors equalised in the sixth minute. 

Isaac Emmanuel threaded a pass from the left that found Callum Behan. He span off his marker to strike left footed from 15-yards to the far right bottom corner of the net. 

A superb fingertip save by United custodian Evan O'Neill prevented Kian Reddy from restoring Bray’s advantage in the tenth minute by pushing the ball onto the post. 

Knight then blasted over in the 40th minute when well-placed close from Billy O’Neill’s cut-back. 

The home team controlled the second period. Sub Tristan Donnelly drilled just off target from the edge of the box on 67. 

Five minutes later, after a scramble at the ‘D, Seruga cracked a shot that crashed back off the bar. 

But 60 seconds later, the Seagulls were awarded the opportunity to get back in front. 

A CK defender misjudged the bounce of the ball in the box. Dean Owens gathered and squared to Knight who was taken down. From the 74th minute spot-kick, Seruga made it 2-1. 

The points were sealed in the 83rd minute. 

Home skipper Leon Ajala – who’d moved from left back to the right wing – beat an opponent by getting to the endline. His low ball across picked out Ugbesia who found the roof of the net just yards out. 

 

Bray Wanderers: Jack Ellis; Daniel Sabatin, Sean McMahon, Caleb O'Neill, Leon Ajala; Alain Kizenga, Kian Reddy; Billy O'Neill, Rhys Knight, Phillip Cooney; Dean Owens. 

 

Subs: Stefan Ugbesia, Alan Seruga, Daniel Chukwu, Destiny Avenbuan, Tristan Donnelly, Abdurahman Bouderbala, Dylan Ryan, Edvinas Jakas. 

 

CK United: Evan O'Neill; Fionn O'Leary, Rogerio Alves Da Silva Junior Aaron Hughes; Liam McDonnell; Dylan Murphy, Ben Collier; Eoin Sheppard; 

Jerry Collins, Isaac Emmanuel; Callum Behan. 

 

Subs: Patrick O'Connor, David Oduntan, Jack Pierce, Jack Cummins, Emmanuel Ogunsiakan, Logan Cullen, Dáire Phelan. 

 

Referee: Endrit Malaveci. Assistants: Gary Bailey, Daniel Cleary. 

 

* Elsewhere in the section, leaders Shelbourne maintained their winning record by beating second placed Klub Kildare 5-1 at FBD Hotels and Resorts Park. Treaty United overcame Kerry FC 2-1 at Mounthawk Park. 

All the result leave Bray third in the table 

at the midway point of six matches; nine points off Shels and just three behind Klub Kildare.