ST MARY’S survived an early scare to overcome Douglas Royal at the Bowl on Saturday afternoon and book their place in the second round of the Cu-Plas FA Cup.
A possible cupset looked on the cards when Patrick Dempsey gave the visitors a shock early lead at a rain-soaked Bowl but that was soon cancelled out by Saints defender Adam Pate.
Three second-half goals, including a brace from midfielder Tom Weir, eventually gave Peter Langridge’s a comfortable 4-1 victory to safely book their passage into the next round.
The hosts went into the match as firm favourites but were slow out of the blocks and were duly punished in the fifth minute through a quality strike from an unlikely source.
Andrew Lancaster’s in-swinging corner was only half cleared by the home defence, the ball dropping to Dempsey just inside the box and the Royal right-back superbly fired a right-footed volley through the crowded penalty area and into the bottom right corner of the net for 1-0.
However, the visitors’ early breakthrough was soon cancelled out when another defender got his name on the score sheet just a few minutes later. A flowing move down the right side of midfield by the Saints saw Steven Priestnal produce a teasing ball across the face of goal to the lurking Pate who slammed a first-time shot past goalkeeper Tom Varney.
The hosts almost took the lead soon after when Brian Crellin released Priestnal with an inch-perfect through ball but, from an angle, the in-form striker dragged his shot wide of goal.
The same two combined seconds afterwards when Marc and Steven Priestnal won possession in Royal territory before the latter teed up Crellin but the winger’s fierce drive was saved by Varney and smothered before Steven Priestnal could turn home the rebound.
A minute later Connor Gorman’s cross caused confusion in the visitors’ box, however, captain Dom McGreevy’s rising drive just cleared the cross bar.
Douglas Royal continued to frustrate their Premier League opponents as the half wore on, Lancaster going close with a free-kick before Paul Whitley set up Dan Beattie but his rasping shot went narrowly over.
Such was Royal’s tenacity and willingness to get in the faces of the hosts that the Saints often resorted to long-range efforts, with Liam Doyle going close with one such shot just before half-time as the sides went in level at the break.
However, after the restart the hosts came out with much more attacking purpose and were immediately rewarded with a goal. Crellin effortlessly controlled a long ball over the top before twisting and turning his marker and sending over a low cross to Steven Priestnal who slid the ball into the net for 2-1 to give the Saints the lead for the first time in the match.
It wasn’t long before St Mary’s doubled their advantage. Marc Priestnal released his brother and strike partner with a defence-splitting pass and the golden boot contender unselfishly opted to square the ball to Weir who had the simplest of tasks in tapping the ball into the empty net for 3-1.
Royal tried to muster up an immediate riposte but, after skipper Craig Dolman had surged out of defence and set up Whitley, the striker’s effort from outside the box was well held by Saints custodian Max Thomas.
Steven Priestnal nearly doubled his personal tally in fine style in the 69th minute when he connected with Paul Doyle’s low cross but the No.9’s skillful flick was blocked on the line by Dempsey.
A deep free-kick from Dolman was then brought down by Greg Hoskisson on the edge of the box to tee up Ballard but the defender’s fierce drive was deflected over the bar.
Crellin had a curling effort saved at the other end of the pitch while substitute Johnny Holland saw a back post header caught by Varney as the game entered its final stages.
It was left to Weir to add some gloss on the scoreline for the hosts as he completed a strong second-half showing to make it 4-1. Crellin’s corner reached Steven Priestnal at the far post whose header looped up onto the cross bar. However, the ball fell to Weir eight yards out and the midfielder ferociously hammered the ball past Varney and high into the roof of the net to complete the scoring.
TEAM CHECK
St Mary’s: Max Thomas, Paul Doyle (Richard Sharman 78m), Adam Pate, Dom McGreevy ©, Liam Doyle, Tom Weir, Connor Gorman (Johnny Holland 78m), James Murphy, Steven Priestnal, Marc Priestnal (Dave Skillen 78m), Brian Crellin
Douglas Royal: Tom Varney, Patrick Dempsey, Stuart Foley, Greg Hoskisson, Kevin Ballard, Andrew Lancaster, Dan Beattie, Adam Storr, Paul Whitley, Craig Dolman ©, Gavin Gawne. Subs not used: Joe Bond, James Halliday, Jamie Hinchliffe
Referee: Colin Coole
Assistants: Danny Cowin and David Hughes
Booked: Steven Priestnal (St Mary’s), Kevin Ballard (Royal)
Man of the Match: Liam Doyle (St Mary’s) – solid showing at the back for the hosts, barely put a foot wrong all day and set up several attacks
Match rating: HHHHH
l FOXDALE’s Cu-Plas FA Cup tie with St George’s was abandoned at half-time after referee Peter Beighton and assistants Winston Taylor and Gerry Thompson deemed the pitch unplayable.
To that point the goals flowed in faster than the raindrops that hit Billy Goat Park pitch, Geordies buliding up a seven-goal lead. Calum Morrissey opened the scoring for the Premier League leaders after just five minutes with a diagonal shot across goal.Sam Caine expertly chipped over Dale keeper Stuart Naisbitt for number two after the ex-Union Mills player received a through-ball from Frank Jones.
A minute later, it was 0-3 when Ciaran McNulty swept home after Morrissey’s initial effort had rebounded off the post.
The former Gymnasium player struck again before Chris Bass Jr raced in to slot home Naisbitt’s parry to make it 0-5.
Morrissey latched onto an effort that spun in the air for Geordies’ sixth before McNulty slotted home a penalty for the Cup favourties’ seventh.
