Bray Wanderers 0-1 Longford Town
A first league goal of the season from Ayman Ben Mohamed earned Longford Town a narrow 1-0 victory over Bray Wanderers, who had to play for over 80 minutes with ten men at the Carlisle Grounds.
Winger Ben Mohamed struck for the game’s only goal on 66 minutes when drilling home from the edge of the area after a mazy dribble.
Both sides made just the one change from their most recent league lines-ups. Luke Gallagher replaced Adam Hanlon in the Bray starting 11, while David O’Sullivan, one of three ex-Bray players in the Longford team, returned up front alongside Gary Shaw for Town.
In an ill-fated start to the game for in-form Bray, they had a goal disallowed and a player sent off within nine minutes of referee Anthony Buttimer’s first whistle.
First, Wanderers thought they’d taken the lead on eight minutes only for an assistant referee's flag to be raised as Alan McNally headed home Graham Kelly's free kick from the halfway line.
Then, within a minute, a lunging challenge by Bray left winger Peter McGlynn on Town midfielder Stephen Rice saw him shown a straight red card.
Though Town then enjoyed a far bit of possession, it was Bray who had the first real chance on 21 minutes - Ryan McEvoy bringing a parry save from Paul Skinner with a stinging 25-yard free kick.
Town responded from a similar situation five minutes later with Pat Sullivan’s direct free kick forcing a diving save from Stephen McGuinness at the expense of a corner.
A terrific block tackle on David O’Sullivan by Hugh Douglas brought a fourth corner for Town on 36 minutes.
But it was Bray, on the counter, who might have snatched the lead two minutes later.
A quick free kick from skipper David Cassidy put Chris Lyons in behind the Town defence, but under pressure by two back-tracking defenders, the little striker sliced his effort well off target.
Longford thought they’d a penalty ten minutes into the second half when Buttimer pointed to the spot after David O’Sullivan went down under a challenge from Adam Mitchell.
But assistant referee Ken Hennessy - who disallowed McNally's goal in the first half - flagged to over rule Buttimer with a hop ball given instead.
Bray upped their tempo and finally broke the deadlock on 66 minutes.
Ben Mohamed ghosted past three defenders before finding the bottom far corner of the net off the butt of the post.
Lyons then had an 81st minute chance to level, but was thwarted one-on-one by Skinner.
Substitute Kalem Simon then set up Ben Mohamed at the other end but Gareth McDonagh made a terrific block to his shot.
Bray Wanderers: Stephen McGuinness; Hugh Douglas, Alan McNally, Adam Mitchell, Michael Barker; David Cassidy, Luke Gallagher (Dave Scully 70), Graham Kelly (Gareth McDonagh 75), Ryan McEvoy, Peter McGlynn; Chris Lyons.
Longford Town: Paul Skinner; Pat Sullivan, Rhys Gorman, Mark Rossiter, Martin Deady; Mark Salmon (Lorcan Shannon 61), Stephen Rice, Kevin O’Connor, Ayman Ben Mohamed; David O’Sullivan (Kalem Simon 61), Gary Shaw.
Referee: Anthony Buttimer (Cork).
