Poor defending from set pieces cost Finn Harps as they went down 2-1 to Bray Wanderers at Finn Park tonight.
Finn Harps …1. Bray Wanderers…2
The frustrating defeat has stretched their current record to four consecutive defeats in all competitions.
By Stuart Connolly at Finn Park with pics by Joe Boland
Bray Wanderers debutant John O’Sullivan headed the visitors into the lead with the help of the woodwork, while Jamie Watson levelled things prior to the interval.
Guillermo Almirall restored the lead and sealed the three points for the Wicklow outfit, and that result, combined with some others down the country, means the play-off picture is there for the taking as four teams are separated by seven points.
Prior to kick-off in Harps’ first home fixture in nearly a month, a minute’s silence was observed for Former Club President Patrick Breen, who sadly passed away last week.
In the opening exchanges, it was the visitors who carved out the early opportunities as Guillermo Almirall rattled the crossbar with only three minutes gone, and Kieran Cruise was thwarted at the last second courtesy of a textbook tackle from Conor Tourish.
Harps responded with two chances of their own, but both had the same fate, as shots from Jamie Watson and David Cawley floated narrowly off target.
At the midway point of the first half, Bray Wanderers took the lead as the linesman close to the club superstore was called into action to make a goal line call.
Max Murphy’s initial shot was expertly tipped around the post by Tim-Oliver Heimer, but from the corner that followed, Killian Cantwell nodded on Murphy’s set-piece delivery from the left, and John O’Sullivan was alert at the back post to head home as his effort bounced in the proximity of the goalline.
Finn Harps had an opportunity for an equaliser ten minutes shy of the break, but a cool backheel effort from Sean Patton, who recently spent time on trial with EFL Championship Club Portsmouth, rolled wide of the mark.
A few minutes later, the hosts were back level. Watson drove forward, and after a layoff from Cawley, the Scottish defender fired his effort into the bottom right corner beyond the grasp of James Corcoran.
Harps almost got the perfect start to the second half, but a low strike from Cawley thumped the post, and his follow-up shot was sliced wide.
Just a handful of minutes beyond the hour, Bray retook the lead. Noe Baba’s clearance resulted in a corner from the right, and once again, a set-piece was Harps’ Achilles’ heel. Cruise lofted the ball in, and Almirall was able to finish at the back post on the second attempt after his first effort was blocked.
In the latter stages of this contest, Bray almost doubled their advantage, but a close range header from Paul Murphy glided over the bar.
Five minutes of added time gave Harps one last stretch to push for an equaliser, but a firm away rearguard held for their second win on the bounce.
Finn Harps: Tim-Oliver Heimer; Jamie Watson, Noe Baba(Patrick Ferry 86), Conor Tourish, Matthew Makinson; David Cawley(Aaron McLaughlin 80), Tony McNamee, Max Hutchison; Success Edogun, Max Johnston(Luke O’Brien 67), Sean Patton(Gavin McAteer 86)
Bray Wanderers: James Corcoran; Paul Murphy, Max Murphy, Killian Cantwell, Zach Nolan; Kieran Cruise(Conor Knight 89), Guillermo Almirall, Darren Craven(Cole Omorehiomwan 89), Harry Groome, John O’Sullivan(Zayd Abada 80); Ben Feeney(Peter Grogan 64).
Referee: Aaron O’Dowd
