Blues fight hard to earn a share of the spoils in Richmond battle
A battle for possession between Waterford's Darragh Leahy and St Pat's Mason Melia.
Ryan Burke earned a deserved share of the spoils for Waterford FC in their bid for survival in the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division as his first-half header gave his side a point from their meeting with St. Patrick's Athletic at Richmond Park on Friday evening.
Despite the home side having some early possession, it was the Blues who created two big chances in the space of a minute. The first fell to Sam Glenfield on three minutes after he took a pass from Tommy Lonergan, but keeper Joseph Anang made a fine stop at the feet of the attacker.
Navajo Bakboord, on his first start for the club since April 18 against Sligo Rovers, found himself in acres of space after a great pullback from the left endline by James Olayinka, the defender, who was in an advanced area of the pitch, miscued in front of an open goal.
The home side had a first chance on 13 minutes when ex-skipper Barry Baggley swung over a right-wing cross after a needless foul from Sam Glenfield on Ryan McLaughlin to the back post, but Jamie Lennon headed inches wide of the far post.
Blues keeper Stephen McMullan made a tremendous save to deny the hosts the lead goal on 22 minutes when Chris Forrester split the defence with a ball of quality that sent Mason Melia clear on goal, but the Spurs-bound striker was denied his fourth goal against the Blues this season by a brilliant stop.
Conan Noonan had just as good a chance at the other end when the Shamrock Rovers loanee raced onto a through ball from Tommy Lonergan out on the right, but his low shot lacked power, which resulted in a comfortable save from Anang.
McMullan showed his worth once again with another top save on 25 minutes when Barry Baggley knocked the ball into the feet of striker Melia, who brought the ball onto his right foot before shooting between the legs of Bakbooard, but the netminder got down superbly well to turn the ball around the posts.
Mason Melia continued his love affair against Waterford this season as he struck for number four this campaign on 40 minutes. Tom Grivosti released Jason McClelland down the left before he crossed for the 18-year-old, who took the ball past keeper McMullan to slot into an empty net.
With two minutes of added time indicated at the end of the half, the Blues won a right-wing corner that saw Conan Noonan float in a beautiful ball that saw Ryan Burke make a darting run into the centre of the goal, and he rose highest to plant a header past keeper Joseph Anang to send his side in level.
Kian Leavy went on a good run before cutting onto his left foot top of the penalty area on 49 minutes, but his shot cleared the crossbar before Forrester turned provider for dangerman Melia three minutes later, only to see his low effort saved by McMullan.
Waterford had a big chance to strike the front at the other end on 53 minutes when a brilliant through ball from the left from James Olayinka sent Conan Noonan clear behind the Pat’s defence, but keeper Joseph Anang stood tall to make a crucial close-range save.
After Matty Smith entered the fray alongside Kyle White on 64 minutes, he nearly had a big impact on the Blues, going close to striking the front three minutes later. He started the move with a brilliant ball into Padraig Amond’s feet, who in turn teed up Tommy Lonergan, but he dragged a shot inches wide.
A misplaced Darragh Leahy pass sent the hosts on the attack with 75 minutes when the impressive Leavy slipped the ball out to the left for Jordan Garrick, but he couldn’t direct his effort on target as the ball went wide of McMullan’s left-hand post.
Mason Melia had a chance to put his side back in front five minutes from time when he got on the end of a super Aidan Keena ball, but the striker fired into the sidenetting before Garrick should have done better with a chance seconds later as he could only fire straight at McMullan from the top of the area.
It was Jordan Garrick who should have won the game for the Saints on 88 minutes when he latched onto a Melia blocked shot deep inside the area only to fire weakly at the Waterford netminder before Padraig Amond had a late chance for the Blues in added time, but he couldn’t direct a header on target.
Anang; McLaughlin, Redmond, Grivosti, McClelland; Lennon, Baggley (Palmer 70); Forrester (Mulraney 70), Leavy (Keena 82), Power (Garrick 59); Melia.
McMullan; Radkowski, Leahy, Burke; Bakboord (Smith 63), Noonan, Glenfield (McMenamy 70), Olayinka, Dempsey (White 63); Lonergan (Coyle 82), Amond.
Paul Norton (Dublin).
