Free Press Sport
PILCS end a run of four defeats with narrow victory over Coed Eva
1:00pm Wednesday 25th January 2012
P.I.L.C.S. 2-1 Coed Eva Athletic (21/01/12) P.I.L.C.S. ended a run of four consecutive league defeats, with a narrow 2-1 victory against Coed Eva, courtesy of a first half brace from striker Daniel Morrison, but it was young keeper James Ayres who deserved the plaudits for a marvellous display between the sticks.
The visitors arrived in a rich vein of form, after picking up some impressive results of late and it was they who had the first chance to open the scoring, following a good ball into the box. However striker James Stokes slipped at the vital time and the danger was averted.
The deadlock was broken on 27 minutes thanks to a slice of good fortune for the home side. A through ball from captain Daniel Ronan was chased down by Morrison and MorganÕs clearance in the Coed Eva goal was hit straight at him and rolled all the way into an empty net from well outside the 18 yard area.
The away side then enjoyed their best spell of the half as they pressed forward in search of an equaliser. Striker Michael Preece rounded Ayres in the box, but found the acute angle too difficult, with his effort turned away by Ryan Waite on the post.
From the resulting corner Ayres brilliantly denied a close range header from Preece, but was powerless to deny the equaliser when it finally did arrive on 39 minutes. It came after a good move through midfield, with the final ball cut back from the far post to Ricky Coff, in prime position just inside the area and he made no mistake drilling low into the corner.
The hosts did not have to wait long before re-taking the lead, when on 43 minutes a pin-point cross from Rogers to the far post picked out Morrison, who tapped home despite a sliding challenge from a Coed Eva defender.
Despite that being it as far as the scoring was concerned, the second half did not disappoint, with both sides missing chances to add to their tally. Coed Eva desperately continued in search of an equaliser in the latter stages and in truth is what their performance had merited, but they were still unable to find a way through.